Kyle Beach: “Everybody in that locker room knew about it.”

Former Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Kyle Beach has revealed that he is in fact "John Doe" from the Chicago Blackhawks' sexual abuse scandal during a one on one interview with TSN's Rick Westhead this evening.

Beach eloquently answered questions for 25 minutes and, frankly, he showed strength and resolve that I personally don't think I could ever muster. This is a man who has been living with the effects of this horrific abuse for 11 years, for him to speak about it on live television is remarkable. And then to speak so eloquently and cohesively is... it's just mind blowing to me. What an incredible show of courage.

For the full interview, click below:

While there are a dozen or so quotes from the interview that merit sharing, it's this one that gets my back up the most:

"Word spread pretty quick. I do believe that everyone in that locker room knew about it. Because the comments were made in the locker room, they were made on the ice, they were made around the arena with all different people of all different backgrounds – players, staff, media in the presence."

"I witnessed meetings right after I reported [the assault] to James Gary that were held in Joel Quenneville's office. There's absolutely no way he can deny knowing it."

Kyle Beach

Of course, this contradicts the words of former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, and current and former Blackhawks players like Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane all of whom have stated on the record that they had no knowledge of the allegations.

Former Blackhawks players Nick Boynton and Brent Sopel have both gone on record saying that "everyone knew" and that anyone saying anything to the contrary was simply lying. 

Again from Beach on Boynton and Sopel coming forward:

"I 100% believe both of them and I haven’t spoken to either of them since the last time I would have ran into them at a training camp. I do not know them, I do not have a personal relationship with them, I do not have their phone numbers, I have not spoken to them. So, for them to come forward, to corroborate the story, I owe them a huge thank you as I do Paul Vincent, yourself, and many, many others. (Former Blackhawks associate coach) John Torchetti, my family, and friends for supporting me, my girlfriend Bianca for being there for me every single day. Because reliving this and having to dig back to those memories for the investigation, for the lawsuit, having to tell my story over and over has not been easy. It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through, but at the same time, it’s a huge step I realize now in the healing process. But for those individuals who came forward early on with absolutely nothing to gain, they’re heroes to me. They really are. Because when I was alone, I was afraid and I was scared, I didn’t think I could turn to anyone. Even when this first came out, the Blackhawks denied it. They said they did an investigation. They said my claims were meritless. To me, I took that as them saying to the world that I was a liar, that I was lying. And to have these individuals like Paul Vincent, like Nick Boynton, Torchetti and Sopel come forward, then I knew I wasn’t alone. And I could never thank them enough for doing that, because it gave me the strength to continue forward with this."

Kyle Beach

I feel like it's worth mentioning that Quenneville himself is scheduled to coach the Florida Panthers this evening....

Better take cover, Coach Q...