Michael McLeod signs contract with Russian team after being cleared of charges
Hockey player Michael McLeod, one of five Hockey Canada players cleared of sexual assault charges in July, has signed a three-year contract with Avangard Omsk of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). McLeod, along with Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, and Carter Hart, were part of the Hockey Canada’s U20 national junior team in 2018. The players were criminally charged in early 2024 for an alleged incident that occurred after the 2018 Hockey Canada Foundation Gala in London, Ontario. In July, Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia found the five players not guilty of sexual assault. McLeod was also acquitted of a separate charge of being an accessory to the crime of sexual assault. The NHL announced in September that the five players would be eligible to return to play in the league starting December 1st.The NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) expressed its satisfaction with the opportunity players will have to resume their careers in the NHL. McLeod, 27, last played in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils in the 2023-24 season. He played 19 games with Omsk in 2024-25, one of two KHL teams he joined while the Hockey Canada investigation and legal process were ongoing. The Avangard Omsk is coached by Guy Boucher, former coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Ottawa Senators. Alexey Sopin, general director of Avangard Omsk, stated via Telegram: “The negotiations with Michael and his representatives were brief. The player that everyone has been waiting for will once again wear the Hawks uniform. We are very happy that this difficult situation has ended positively for both us and the player.” Recently, there was speculation about the Carolina Hurricanes’ interest in signing McLeod. This news generated an immediate reaction from Hurricanes fans, including a petition urging the team to reconsider signing McLeod, which obtained more than 1,700 signatures. Ultimately, no agreement was reached between McLeod and Carolina. McLeod was selected 12th overall in 2016 by the Devils and amassed 85 points in 287 career games. He was one of the team’s most important defensive forwards when, along with Foote, he was granted “indefinite team leaves” on January 24, 2024. The players were accused of sexual assault the following month. Of the remaining Hockey Canada players who have yet to sign a contract, several reports have linked Hart, former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender, with the Vegas Golden Knights.“Considering that the players have been away from the game for 20 months, even since their absolutions in July, we have determined that the players will be eligible to sign an NHL contract no earlier than October 15, 2025, and eligible to play in NHL games no earlier than December 1, 2025, which brings their total time away from the League to almost two years,” the NHL said in a statement.
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