CANADIAN AFFAIRS
News for Canadian Professionals and Families
Five Canadian ice hockey players cleared of sexual assault will remain suspended from league duty despite their acquittal, the National Hockey League said Friday.
Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Callan Foote were all found not guilty on Thursday after a judge ruled that their alleged victim’s testimony was unreliable.
The five players had been accused of 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.
However the judge’s verdict on Thursday does not represent a green light for the five to resume their professional careers, the NHL said in a statement.
“The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,” the league said.
“We will be reviewing and considering the judge’s findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.”
The players union, the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) said the league’s decision violated collective bargaining rules.
Subscribe to Editor’s Picks. Receive our free Saturday newsletter featuring our best stories from the week.
“Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod were acquitted of all charges,” the NHLPA said in a statement.
“After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work.
“The NHL’s declaration that the Players are ‘ineligible’ to play pending its further analysis of the Court’s findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.
“We are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.”
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 case against the five players had caused 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 $2.6-million out-of-court settlement with the woman, forcing the resignation of Hockey Canada’s leadership.
Amid public uproar, police re-opened the case and brought charges against the players last year.
However Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia acquitted the five players on Thursday after ruling that she did “not find the evidence of [the complainant] to be either credible or reliable” and that prosecutors had failed to prove their case.
Carroccia said there were “troubling aspects” to how the complainant recalled the events, also noting that “as a fact that the complainant did express that she wanted to engage in sexual activity with the men”.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Registered readers receive eight free articles a month.
Already registered? Sign In.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions.
Thank you for registering!
An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link.
For details on how to access our content, refer to our FAQ page.
Sign in by entering the code we sent to , or clicking the magic link in the email.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions.
Get the best of CANADIAN AFFAIRS directly in your email inbox.
Sending to:
Select an option to continue: