USHL’s appointed Omaha steward Mervis has connections to accused sexual predator Chico Adrahtas

Content Warning: The following update discusses sexual abuse.

Multiple sources have expressed concern over the USHL’s decision to appoint minority partner Josh Mervis as overseer of the Omaha Lancers franchise currently embroiled in scandal because of Mervis’ connection and involvement with disgraced hockey coach Tom “Chico” Adrahtas.

At least four former players have joined together in a lawsuit against Adrahtas, accusing him of sexual assault, even though none of them knew each other at the time of the alleged assaults.

Mervis, who was the team’s GM and an assistant coach, hired and worked closely with Adrahtas with the Danville Wings, which played first in the North American Hockey League before moving to the USHL in 2003-04. Adrahtas resigned from the Wings in Feb. 2004, citing personal health reasons, according to an archived press release, which also stated Adrahtas had been with the organization since 1999.

According to a source familiar with the third-party investigation into the Omaha Lancers, one of the investigators grew concerned when he learned of Mervis’ ties to Adrahtas, who is currently the subject of a federal lawsuit brought in Minnesota district court over the summer.

USA Hockey, the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois and the University of Minnesota, where Adrahtas coached for one season, are all named co-defendants in the suit, which alleges people in positions of authority did not adequately protect players from the abuse they have accused Adrahtas of perpetrating, despite warnings about the coach’s conduct. The allegations have yet to be proven in court.

Though Mervis has never been implicated in the Adrahtas scandal, sources indicated investigators were surprised to learn he would be appointed to the position despite his known association with a co-defendant in a major hockey-related lawsuit.

Details of the allegations against Adrahtas were first reported by Katie Strang of The Athletic in 2020. Adrahtas was issued a lifetime ban from the U.S. Center for SafeSport in June 2020.

In The Athletic’s story detailing allegations against the former Chicago-area coach, Mervis explained his history with Adrahtas:

“Owner Josh Mervis said he had heard the rumors about Adrahtas, but felt they were possibly the result of a smear campaign against a single, unmarried guy whose life was consumed by hockey. Mervis said he went out of his way to do his own due diligence – in one case flying to meet with a former coaching partner of Adrahtas – and consulted with several well-connected hockey people who knew Adrahtas. Everyone vouched for him.

“‘I had powerful hockey guys say he’s a good coach and that I should hire him,’ Mervis told the Athletic.”

One of the alleged victims of Adrahtas, who has gone on record with the news media to detail his abuse previously, was briefly a member of the Danville Wings.

An emergency meeting was convened Monday night, though the topic of that meeting was unclear beyond it involving the ongoing investigation into the Lancers. Another meeting is scheduled to take place Tuesday to discuss next steps.

Correction: In the first edition of this story, Daily Faceoff reported that USA Hockey’s general counsel was notified of the connection between Mervis and Adrahtas by investigators. USA Hockey disputes that claim. USA Hockey says it is aware of the third-party investigation commissioned by the USHL and will continue to monitor the situation as the league falls under the governing body’s umbrella.