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Blackhawks' owner requests removal of sex offender's name from Stanley Cup

Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz (C) wants the Hockey Hall of Fame to remove Brad Aldrich's name from the Stanley Cup. File Photo by Stephen J. Carrera/UPI
1 of 5 | Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz (C) wants the Hockey Hall of Fame to remove Brad Aldrich's name from the Stanley Cup. File Photo by Stephen J. Carrera/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 29 (UPI) -- The Chicago Blackhawks want the name of former video coach -- and convicted sex offender -- Brad Aldrich removed from the Stanley Cup, according to a letter from team owner Rocky Wirtz.

"I am humbly requesting that the Hockey Hall of Fame consider 'X-ing' out his name on the Stanley Cup," Wirtz wrote in the letter, which was sent to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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"While nothing can undo what he did, leaving his name on the most prestigious trophy in sports seems profoundly wrong."

Wirtz also wrote that it is the Blackhawks' "moral belief that a convicted sex offender does not belong on the Stanley Cup."

The Hockey Hall of Fame responded to the request Friday afternoon after discussions with the Blackhawks and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

"The parties agree that this request is appropriate and that they will have further dialogue, including with the Stanley Cup trustees, on how best to effectuate this request," the Hall of Fame said in a statement.

An investigative report, released by the team this week, stated that Aldrich sexually assaulted a former player, identified as "John Doe," during the Blackhawks' 2010 run to the Stanley Cup.

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The report also stated that other members of the Blackhawks staff did not immediately act when they learned of allegations against Aldrich.

On Thursday, Kyle Beach identified himself as "John Doe" who filed the lawsuit against the franchise for its mishandling of the allegations. Beach alleged that Aldrich also sexually assaulted another player.

Aldrich resigned from the team in 2010. He was convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2013 in Michigan. He was sentenced to nine months in jail and five years of probation in 2014.

Several other members of the former Blackhawks regime resigned or were fired over the past year. On Thursday, Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville also resigned due to his connection to the scandal.

Quenneville coached the Blackhawks from 2008-09 through 2018-19. He led the franchise to three titles. On Tuesday, Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz announced the resignations of former team president Stan Bowman and senior director of hockey administration Al MacIsaac.

The NHL also fined the Blackhawks $2 million for their "inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response in the handling of matters related to former video coach Brad Aldrich's employment with the club and ultimate departure in 2010."

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Each championship team is allowed to put 52 names on the Stanley Cup each year. Those names include players, coaches, management and staff.

In his letter, Rocky Wirtz cited precedent of names being eliminated from the Stanley Cup. The name Basil Pocklington, father of former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington, is stamped over from the 1983-84 Stanley Cup.

"The NHL demanded the name be notably X'd out," Wirtz wrote. "That decision, among others, reflects the Cup's storied history of engraving mistakes and errors that have ended up enshrined in silver, or been corrected after the fact."

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