Robin Lehner upset about union’s actions in assault inquiry

Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner expressed his displeasure Friday with how the NHL Players Association handled sexual assault allegations against a former Chicago Blackhawks video coach in 2010.

“There’s a lot of things I can say, but people should have a hard time sleeping at night,” Lehner said. “I’m not going to say anything about the NHL. I’m mostly disappointed in our union.”

The coach, Brad Aldrich, has been accused of sexually assaulting taxi squad player Kyle Beach in May 2010. A lawsuit by Beach led to an independent investigation that found the Blackhawks mishandled the allegations, resulting in the resignations of general manager Stan Bowman, senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac and coach Joel Quenneville, who was with the Florida Panthers.

Lehner reached out to Beach after he revealed his identity in a TSN interview Wednesday, a day after the investigation’s results were released. Lehner thanked Beach for his courage on Twitter on Thursday and said the two had “a really emotional talk.” Beach responded to Lehner “Yourself and many others, gave me the strength to speak my truth!”

“I talked to him for quite some time,” Lehner said. “I’m devastated for him. I feel for him. Incredible bravery what he’s done.”

Beach, who was not a dues-paying NHLPA member at the time of the alleged assault, said during his TSN interview that he reported “every single detail” of his story to an individual at the union. He said he thinks two people talked to NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr.

“For him to turn his back on the players when his one job is to protect the players at all costs, I don’t know how that can be your leader,” Beach said to TSN. “I don’t know how he can be in charge.”

Fehr joined the NHLPA on Dec. 18, 2010, after the alleged incident between Aldrich and Beach took place. The investigation states Fehr was contacted by a “confidant” and “professional acquaintance” of Beach’s separately in his first year on the job, but does not say if he knew of the exact nature of the allegations. Fehr apologized to Beach in a statement Wednesday.

“Kyle Beach has been through a horrific experience and has shown true courage in telling his story,” Fehr said. “There is no doubt that the system failed to support him in his time of need, and we are part of that system.

“In his media interview, Mr. Beach stated that several months after the incident he told someone at the NHLPA the details of what happened to him. He is referring to one of the program doctors with the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. While this program is confidential between players and the doctors, the grave nature of this incident should have resulted in further action on our part. The fact that it did not was a serious failure. I am truly sorry, and I am committed to making changes to ensure it does not happen again.”

Lehner is not the only one with questions about the NHLPA’s handling of the allegations. Daily Faceoff reported Friday that “internal support for Fehr among NHLPA staff has waned” after the investigation was released. The union will have an executive board meeting with the 32 team representatives Monday, according to reports.

“I know how it is to go through some stuff alone, and he had to go through some stuff for nine years or more alone,” said Lehner, who has been open about his struggles with mental illness and substance abuse. “When our union knew. And got no help at all. So it was a very emotional thing. I couldn’t sleep that night, and I hope everyone takes a look in the mirror and we fix it so this never happens again.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.