Asked About Kyle Beach Sexual Abuse Scandal And What Blackhawks Are Doing To Prevent Abuse, Rocky Wirtz Tells Reporter, 'That's None Of Your Business'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday held a townhall-style meeting with top executives, fans, and news media before their final game prior to the All-Star break.
When 2010 player and sexual assault victim Kyle Beach's last name was brought up, things got ugly.
Mark Lazerus, senior Blackhawks writer for The Athletic, directed his question to Blackhawks Chief Executive Officer Danny Wirtz.
"I know we're looking forward here, but I think we have to look back also – and I think much of what happened to Kyle Beach stemmed from a power imbalance between a coach and a player and the powerlessness of a player in this situation," Lazerus said. "So what are the Blackhawks doing? What have the Blackhawks done? What will the Blackhawks do to empower a player in a similar situation to make sure that doesn't happen again?"
Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz – Danny Wirtz's father, of course – answered the question instead.
"I think the report speaks for itself. The people that were involved are no longer here, and we're not going to talk about what happened," Chairman Wirtz said. "We're moving forward. That is my answer."
Danny Wirtz offered to "pick up to what we are doing today," but Rocky Wirtz said that would not be happening.
"That's none of your business. What we're going to do today is our business. I don't think it's any of your business," Rocky Wirtz said, directing his comment at Lazerus.
When Lazerus asked how it was not his business, Rocky Wirtz said: "You don't work for the company. If somebody in the company asks that question, we'll answer it."
Rocky Wirtz later issued a statement apologizing for the remarks:
"Tonight, at the Chicago Blackhawks town hall, my response to two questions crossed the line. I want to apologize to the fans and those reporters, and I regret that my response overshadowed the great work this organization is doing to move forward. We have the right leaders and right processes in place to create a safe environment for our employees and players."
Beach revealed in late October that he was the "John Doe" who claimed then-video coach Brad Aldrich had sexually abused him during the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup-winning 2010 season.
This came two days after Blackhawks president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman announced he had "stepped aside," after an independent investigation determined he and other team executives failed to promptly investigate Beach's claims.
Former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville resigned as head coach of the Florida Panthers soon afterward.
Beach was the Blackhawks' first round draft pick in 2008, and was called up as a "Black Ace" during the team's 2010 Stanley Cup championship run, as a potential fill-in for a regular team member if needed during the playoffs.
He has accused Aldrich of threatening him with a baseball bat before sexually assaulting him in May 2010, saying Beach would never play in the NHL if anyone found out.
Beach was 20 at the time, and told Canada's TSN SportsCentre he was "scared" and "fearful" following the alleged abuse.
"I would never dream, or you could never imagine being put in this situation by somebody who's supposed to be there to help you and to make you a better hockey player and a better person and continue to build your career," he told TSN. "Just scared and alone with no idea what to do."
An investigation by Jenner & Block determined Bowman and other team executives failed to promptly investigate Beach's case.
In December, the Blackhawks reached a confidential settlement with Beach.