Suspended at the start of the 2025-26 season: NHL takes action after verdict in sexual assault case
The NHL announced that five former Hockey Canada players, found not guilty of sexual assault charges in July, will be suspended at the start of the 2025-26 season. However, they will be eligible to return to play starting December 1, according to the league on Thursday. Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod, who were part of Hockey Canada’s 2018 World Junior team, faced criminal charges 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 a party to the offense of sexual assault. At that time, the NHL indicated that players would not be eligible to play until they were reinstated. The eligibility of the players for this season was jointly negotiated by the NHL and the NHLPA. Four of the players were active in the NHL when the charges were filed and were placed on indefinite leave: Dubé, as a forward for the Calgary Flames; Hart, as the starting goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers; and McLeod (center) and Foote (defense), members of the New Jersey Devils organization. Currently, the five players are NHL free agents and can sign contracts starting October 15th.The NHLPA expressed its satisfaction that the players have the opportunity to resume their careers in the NHL. “The players cooperated with every investigation. Following their complete exoneration by Superior Court Judge Maria Carroccia, we initiated conversations with the NHL regarding the players’ return to work. To avoid a prolonged dispute that would cause further delays, we reached the resolution that the league announced today. We now consider the matter closed and look forward to the players’ return,” stated the NHLPA. Since May 2022, the NHL has been conducting its own investigation, calling the 2018 incident “deeply troubling and unacceptable.” The investigation included “interviews with each team player and several other relevant parties who were willing to meet with us, and the examination of hundreds of documents, videos, and texts [involved in the case].” The NHL stated that each player expressed remorse for their actions. “However, we believe their conduct requires formal discipline imposed by the League. The League expects and demands that, in the future, each of the players maintain the required standards of NHL players, both on and off the ice.” Bill Daly, NHL Deputy Commissioner, mentioned that teams were already consulting about the eligibility of the Hockey Canada players who were cleared before their return was announced. Hart and Dubé are expected to generate the most interest from NHL teams.Considering that the players have been out of 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 starting October 15, 2025, and eligible to play in NHL games starting December 1, 2025, bringing their total time out of the League to almost two years.
NHL Statement
