New York (AFP) – Five Canadian ice hockey players who were acquitted of sexual assault charges will be suspended to start the NHL season but can return December 1, the league said Thursday. Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, and Callan Foote were all found not guilty in Ontario Superior Court in July after a judge ruled that she did not find the testimony of their accuser “either credible or reliable.”
The five players were charged last year with assaulting the woman in 2018 following a national men’s junior team celebration. All denied wrongdoing, claiming the woman — whose identity is protected — was a willing participant in a series of sex acts. The NHL said in July they would remain ineligible to play until they were reinstated. The NHL Players Association (NHLPA) said at the time that decision violated collective bargaining rules.
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– ‘Deeply troubling’ –
The NHL has been conducting its own investigation into the incident, which on Thursday the league called “deeply troubling and unacceptable.” It said in a statement that after meetings with the players and a review of the court proceedings, “we believe their conduct requires formal League-imposed discipline.”
“The conduct at issue falls woefully short of the standards and values that the League and its Member Clubs expect and demand,” the statement said. “Taking into account that the players have been away from the game for 20 months — including since their acquittals in July — we have determined that the players will be eligible to sign an NHL contract no sooner than October 15, 2025, and eligible to play in NHL games no sooner than December 1, 2025, bringing their total time out of the League to nearly two years.”
The League expects and requires that, going forward, each of the players will uphold the standards required of NHL players both on and off the ice. Four of the five players were active in the NHL at the time they were arrested and charged in 2024. McLeod and Foote played for the New Jersey Devils while Hart played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Dube for the Calgary Flames. Formenton has not played in the NHL since 2022.
The 2025-26 NHL season begins on October 7. The case against the five players sent shockwaves throughout Canadian ice hockey, capturing the country’s attention and raising concerns about broader issues in the culture of the national sport. An initial police investigation into the allegations in 2019 produced no charges. Subsequent media probes revealed Hockey Canada, a governing body, used funds from subscription fees paid by ordinary families for a $3.55 million CAD ($2.6 million USD) out-of-court settlement with the woman, forcing the resignation of Hockey Canada’s leadership.
Amid public uproar, police reopened the case, eventually bringing criminal charges against the players. The NHLPA said in a statement it was “pleased” that the players would have the chance to resume their NHL careers. “To avoid a protracted dispute that would cause further delay, we reached the resolution that the league announced (Thursday). We now consider the matter closed and look forward to the players’ return,” the NHLPA said.
© 2024 AFP
