Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, and Alex Formenton, shown from left to right, are facing charges in connection with an alleged sexual assault during their time as members of the Canadian team at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in London, Ontario, in 2018. This development was reported by various sources, including USA TODAY Sports/Reuters, Getty Images, The Associated Press, and USA TODAY Sports/Reuters.
In a significant development, four National Hockey League (NHL) players, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Dillon Dubé of the Calgary Flames, and Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, are now facing sexual assault charges related to an incident in 2018. The alleged assault took place in London, Ontario, when the accused were members of Canada's World Junior hockey team.
The charges were officially confirmed by the players' respective lawyers, marking a sombre turn of events for the hockey community. The accusations come on the heels of similar charges filed against Alex Formenton, another member of the 2018 junior team, and a former NHL player.
All four players, aged 25, have taken leaves of absence from their NHL teams in light of the charges. Lawyers for McLeod and Foote staunchly denied any criminal wrongdoing, emphasizing their clients' intention to plead not guilty and vigorously defend themselves in court. The legal representatives also urged the public to respect the privacy of the accused and their families, emphasizing that the evidence has yet to be presented or tested in court.
Similarly, Dubé's legal team asserted his innocence and maintained that he would plead not guilty, calling for privacy and refraining from further comments. The Calgary Flames, Dubé's team, acknowledged the gravity of the situation and stated they were unaware of the pending charges when granting his leave of absence.
In the case of Hart, his lawyer confirmed the charges but did not provide a statement, while Foote's lawyer maintained his innocence and stressed the importance of the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial.
The accused players have all been granted leaves of absence from their respective teams, and the NHL teams, when contacted, referred inquiries to the league.
A crucial question regarding whether the accused will be charged jointly or separately remains unanswered. London criminal lawyer Nick Cake, who has been closely following the developments, highlighted this as a significant aspect that will be clarified by the police during a news conference expected on Monday.
The alleged incident occurred after a Hockey Canada gala in June 2018, where the players were honored for their victory at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. The case, initially closed by the police in 2018, was reopened in 2022 following public outrage sparked by a lawsuit filed by the alleged victim, identified as E.M. in court documents. The lawsuit targeted eight unnamed players, Hockey Canada, and the Canadian Hockey League, seeking over $3.5 million in damages. Hockey Canada has since settled the lawsuit.
