A judge in London, Ontario is poised to announce her decision on Thursday in the sexual assault trial involving five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team. The defendants, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, Dillon Dube, and Alex Formenton, faced charges stemming from an incident that took place in London in 2018.
The case stemmed from a lawsuit filed in 2022 against Hockey Canada by a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by eight members of Canada’s world junior team following a fundraising event in London in 2018. After reaching a settlement with Hockey Canada, the organization was found to have maintained two secret funds to settle claims of sexual assault and abuse.
London Detective Sgt. Katherine Dann revealed that charges were laid in early 2024 after London Police received a report in June 2018. Despite an initial investigation closing in 2019 with no charges, the 2022 lawsuit prompted a reopening of the case, resulting in charges against the five players.
The NHL conducted its own investigation in 2022, with Commissioner Gary Bettman hinting at a possible release of findings pending legal proceedings. Testifying in May, the woman described feeling coerced by the men into sexual activity, while defense attorneys argued she had actively participated in the encounters.
The accused players – Hart, McLeod, Foote, Dube, and Formenton – pleaded not guilty to the charges. Ahead of a ruling by Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia, the jury was dismissed after concerns were raised about defense attorneys’ behavior potentially influencing the jurors’ impartiality.
Potential repercussions of a guilty verdict include varying sentences, with the possibility of up to 10 years in prison for sexual assault in Canada. The players’ future in the NHL remains uncertain pending the outcome of the trial, as Bettman emphasized the league’s stance on allowing the legal process to unfold before taking any action.
A league official has significant authority to make decisions regarding off-ice conduct in the best interest of the sport. In 2019, the league suspended Slava Voynov, a defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings, for the entire 2019-20 season and subsequent playoffs due to his involvement in acts of domestic violence. Additionally, Shane Pinto was suspended for 41 games for breaching the league’s gambling policy. There is an appeals process available through the NHL Players’ Association, with an arbitrator appointed by both the league and union to resolve any disputes if necessary. In other news, Hockey Canada has experienced a loss of multiple sponsors, including Nike, and saw the resignation of its CEO and board in 2022 following various scandals. For more information on AP hockey, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/hockey.
