Uncertain future for 2018 Youth World Cup players after being acquitted
Despite being cleared of sexual assault charges, the future of five players from the Canadian team that participated in the 2018 World Junior Championship remains a topic of conversation as NHL training camps open their doors. Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton are eligible to sign contracts starting October 15th and to play starting December 1st, as part of their reinstatement process. A judge in London, Ontario, acquitted them of the charges at the end of July, related to an incident that occurred seven years prior. After Philadelphia general manager Daniel Briere confirmed that the Flyers will not be counting on Hart again, Edmonton general manager Stan Bowman echoed this stance on Wednesday, indicating that the Oilers will not be pursuing the goaltender.Toronto general manager Brad Treliving, who selected Dube in Calgary, stated that adding any of these players has not been the focus of the Maple Leafs.“At this moment, we are not considering those types of situations,” Bowman said about Hart. “I like where [[Stuart Skinner](https://www.espn.com/nhl/player/_/id/4268767/stuart-skinner)Stuart Skinner is] with the way he trained and his perspective going into the year, so I think we’re going to move forward with that.”
Stan Bowman
Ottawa controls Formenton’s rights, despite the fact that he is not under contract and has been playing in Switzerland since 2022. Senators general manager Steve Staios communicated that he spoke with Formenton’s agent and they agreed that it was best to move on. McLeod and Foote were with New Jersey before the charges, and their contracts have already expired. Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is expected to speak with reporters on Thursday after his team’s first practice sessions on the field.“You have to feel comfortable, not only on the ice, but also off it, and be familiar with the history and background and everything else,” Treliving said when asked about the calculation and evaluation of the possible scrutiny when adding any of the five. “And in that case, certainly, we would have to go through a process with everything that has happened.”
Brad Treliving
