Blackhawks veterans Toews, Kane discuss investigation

Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) and right winger Patrick Kane (88) James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Blackhawks veterans Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane discuss investigation, Kyle Beach as 'John Doe'

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 10/28/21

Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have both been with the Chicago Blackhawks since the 2007-2008 season. They've both been important parts of three Stanley Cup-winning championship teams and have a combined five All-Star nods between them.

They were both also on the team in the spring of 2010, when the major events leading to this year's sexual assault investigation allegedly occurred. On Wednesday, after former teammate Kyle Beach came forward as "John Doe," Toews and Kane discussed the case with the media.

"Winning the Stanley Cup that year is beside the point," Toews said, via The Athletic. "Whether we win or lose ... we wish we could take it back and it never happened and young players didn't have to deal with a situation like that."

Toews told reporters that he didn't hear about the allegations until training camp the next year, and Kane said he didn't know that John Doe was Beach until Wednesday.

"I feel a ton for what Kyle went through and what he's dealing with at this point, too. I don't know what else to say. I think the guys that were part of that group all wish they could have done something different," Toews said.

"Very courageous for (Beach) to come out and let his name be known to the world after everything he went through," Kane added. "I wish back then we could have done some different things, knew about some different things, maybe we could have helped him."

Beach revealed himself as John Doe in an interview with TSN on Wednesday. TSN reported that two players reported former video coach Brad Aldrich's sexual assault to skills coach Paul Vincent just before the start of the Western Conference finals and that Vincent brought it to Chicago general manager Stan Bowman, vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac, team president John McDonough and then-mental skills coach James Gary.

Also in that meeting were executive vice president Jay Blunk, assistant general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and then-head coach Joel Quenneville, according to the investigation. Quenneville is now the coach of the Florida Panthers and didn't speak to the media following his team's game against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.

Quenneville is scheduled to meet with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday.

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