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TSN Senior Correspondent

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A lawyer representing former Chicago Blackhawk Kyle Beach and a former high school hockey player who was abused by one-time Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich has asked a court to allow her to resume pursuing records documenting how the team has addressed abuse allegations made by Beach and others.

The document discovery process was placed on hold by a judge in Cook County Court in Chicago in mid-July, pending the Blackhawks’ motions to dismiss lawsuits filed by Beach and “John Doe 2,” a former high school hockey player in Michigan who was abused by Aldrich in 2013. 

 In a motion filed Friday, Susan Loggans asked a judge to proceed with discovery.

 “While [Kyle Beach] was prohibited from discovery, the defendant hired and paid for an ‘independent investigator’  [Jenner & Block] who interviewed over 100 witnesses,” Loggans wrote in her motion. “[Beach] cooperated with this investigation and the report is now on file with this court. In the meantime, [Beach] learned information from this report to which the defendant only had access. For example, [Beach] learned that the defendant had ‘lost’ the personnel file of the assailant, Brad Aldrich.”

Loggans wrote that the Blackhawks in a Nov. 2 court motion advised the court that the team was undertaking settlement talks.

 “…This has not happened,” she wrote. “While plaintiff presented his demand upon request of defendant, no offer had been made by the defendant. Yesterday, the defendant’s attorney provided its two separate letters concerning settlement and its lack of an offer to the press making this entire subject public. Plaintiff is under severe distress as a result of this case. The one-sided ‘discovery’ that defendant availed itself of by hiring its own ‘independent investigator’ places plaintiff at a disadvantage.”

Beach has alleged that Aldrich assaulted him and another player during the 2010 NHL playoffs. He also has said the Blackhawks covered up the allegations instead of forwarding them to police, an allegation that was corroborated by the Blackhawks’ investigators and which led to the firing of vice-president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac and resignation of general manager Stan Bowman.

Florida Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville, who was Chicago's head coach in 2010, resigned after the report concluded he knew about Beach's abuse allegations and helped to cover them up.

Another lawsuit filed against the team by a former high school hockey player known as "John Doe 2" alleges that the Blackhawks covered up Aldrich's abuse of their players and gave him the opportunity to leave the NHL team on his own terms, giving him the opportunity to work with a high school team, where he was convicted of sexually abusing "John Doe 2."

Loggans has made 31 separate requests for documents in her court filing. Among her requests: “Personnel files relating to Bradley Aldrich, including any letters of reference or recommendation” and, “Any emails, phone messages, memos or other interoffice communications regarding Bradley Aldrich between or among the defendant, the Blackhawks, employers, management employers, and/or executives.”

Loggans has also asked for the NHL team’s records related to a May 17, 2010, meeting when Blackhawks skills coach Paul Vincent reported the allegations to team management.

She’s also asked a judge to order the Blackhawks to produce any documents sent to or received from the NHL Players’ Association relating to “[Kyle Beach] and the full and complete personnel file of “[Beach] and “any and all training manuals, videos, instruction materials you utilize to train hockey players regarding how to handle all media appearances, press related meetings, and/or interviews.”

Loggans also asked the Blackhawks for documents sent to or received from the Chicago Police Department regarding investigations into any employee of the NHL team.

She has also asked for all the team’s records relating to “each allegation of sexual exploitation, whether or not credible, made against any of employees and/or agents of defendant, the Blackhawks…”

For each such allegation, Loggans has asked for details about dates, substance of the claims, and identities of those involved, as well as whether claims resulted in monetary payouts.