Five former members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior hockey team, implicated in a notable sexual assault case, are scheduled for a court appearance on Monday.
Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod, all currently NHL players, were accused of sexual assault last month. McLeod also faces an extra charge for allegedly aiding in the commission of the offence, according to a legal document.
Alex Formenton, a former player for the Ottawa Senators who now competes in Switzerland, is similarly charged with sexual assault.
The accused players, through their attorneys, have announced plans to contest the charges. Their court appearance is set for Monday morning at a courthouse in London, Ontario.
Following the accusations, the players’ respective teams announced indefinite leaves of absence for them, though the statements did not directly reference the London case. The Calgary Flames, Dube’s team, cited his leave was for mental health considerations, under professional care, stating they were unaware of the impending charges when granting his leave.
The allegations trace back to an alleged group sexual assault in London, Ontario, in June 2018, after a Hockey Canada event, involving a 20-year-old woman.
This legal development coincides with an upcoming update from London police on their investigation, scheduled for Monday afternoon.
The case, initially concluded without charges, was reopened following a 2022 report by TSN about a civil lawsuit settlement by Hockey Canada with the complainant, leading to intense scrutiny and the resignation of Hockey Canada’s board and leadership. Both Hockey Canada and the NHL have since initiated investigations.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has stated the league will withhold comments until the criminal proceedings conclude. To date, Hockey Canada has not released a statement regarding the charges.
Court filings, disclosed by the Globe and Mail and confirmed by Global News, indicate London police believe there are “reasonable grounds” for the sexual assault allegations against the five players.
Sgt. David Younan, in the documents, detailed the alleged victim’s experience, suggesting the initial consensual act was followed by non-consensual acts, with the suspects either knowing or should have known the lack of consent.
These allegations have yet to be proven in court.
Hockey Canada stated that a final report from an independent review into the alleged assaults will remain private due to an ongoing internal appeal process.
Hockey Canada has also suspended all members of the 2018 World Junior team from participation in its sanctioned events until the appeal process is concluded.
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