Four NHL players, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, and Cal Foote, have been directed to surrender to London police, facing charges of sexual assault in connection with an alleged incident during a 2018 Hockey Canada event. This follows a report by The Globe and Mail on January 24, revealing that London police have instructed five members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team to surrender themselves.
As Emily Kaplan of ESPN points out, “Each of these players has taken a leave of absence from their respective teams, which has been paid.” It’s not clear what their futures are with each respective team. She adds, “If/when police announce charges, their statuses could change. Likely contract termination or suspension.”
The fifth player, Alex Formenton, a former Ottawa Senators player currently playing in Switzerland, reported to police on January 28 to be officially charged.
Lawyers for the four other players, Hart, McLeod, Dube, and Foote, either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment. It is important to note, that no allegations against the players have been proven.
What Are the Next Steps for These Five Players?
As per Rick Westhead of TSN, Gary Ellis, the former head of Toronto Police Service’s sex crimes unit, explained in an interview with TSN that the players would undergo procedures like being photographed, fingerprinted, and directed to sign an undertaking not to have contact with the alleged victim. This would occur either during their initial reporting to the police or at a subsequent date.
If a trial happens, it’s unlikely to happen before 2026. In the meantime, according to a report by Ian Mendes and Chris Johnston of The Athletic on Tuesday, the responsibility for handing out discipline for off-ice misconduct involving players lies within the purview and discretion of league commissioner Gary Bettman. Should the league decide to take action against any of the five players mentioned, they possess the right to challenge the decision by filing an appeal, which would be adjudicated by an independent arbitrator.
The alleged incident involves the five players accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a London hotel on June 19, 2018, following a Hockey Canada Foundation golf and gala event.
The Flames May Have Some Explaining To Do
In the case of the Flames and Dillon Dube, they released a statement prior to this news that Dune was taking a leave for mental health reasons. This is not a good look considering the developments. What the organization knew isn’t clear. The Flames didn’t know anything at all, Dube lied, or the Flames did know and tried to put a different spin on his leave of absence.
Next: Flames Have Trade Arrangement With Jacob Markstrom
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