Five ex-Hockey Canada players cleared of sexual assault charges in July are set to be suspended at the start of the 2025-26 NHL season. However, they will be allowed to return to play on December 1, as per the league’s recent announcement. The players in question are Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod, all of whom were part of Hockey Canada’s 2018 National U-20 Junior Team. The allegations stemmed from an incident that allegedly occurred after the 2018 Hockey Canada Foundation Gala in London, Ontario, leading to criminal charges being filed in early 2024.
In a surprising turn of events, Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia found all five players not guilty of sexual assault in July, with McLeod also cleared of an additional charge related to the offense. The NHL had initially declared the players ineligible to compete until further notice, with their reinstatement status being determined through negotiations between the league and NHLPA. Despite four of the players being active in the NHL at the time of the charges, they all took indefinite leaves from their respective teams, namely the Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, and New Jersey Devils.
The NHL’s decision to suspend the players until December 1, 2025, was based on their extended absence from the game, totaling nearly two years since the allegations first surfaced. The NHLPA expressed satisfaction that the players could resume their careers, emphasizing their cooperation throughout the investigations. Following a thorough inquiry initiated by the NHL in May 2022, each player expressed regret for their actions in meetings with the league officials. Moving forward, the league expects them to uphold the standards set for NHL players both on and off the ice. Despite the players’ availability as free agents starting October 15, it remains to be seen which teams will show interest in signing them, with Hart and Dubé likely to attract the most attention given their previous performances in the league.
