Four former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team, which include Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Michael McLeod, and Cal Foote, have been charged with sexual assault stemming from an incident in 2018 in London, Ontario. Their lawyers confirmed this information through separate statements, emphasizing their clients’ innocence and intention to plead not guilty.
The charges follow allegations made in a lawsuit against Hockey Canada by a woman who claimed she was assaulted by eight players, including members of the 2018 team, after a Hockey Canada Foundation event. Although the lawsuit was settled in May 2022, it prompted renewed investigations by London police, Hockey Canada, and the NHL.
Hart and Dube had previously taken indefinite leaves of absence from their teams, citing personal and mental health reasons. The Calgary Flames stated that they were unaware of the pending charges against Dube when his leave was granted. Similarly, the New Jersey Devils confirmed that McLeod and Foote had requested indefinite leaves of absence last week.
The legal proceedings are ongoing, with London police scheduled to provide updates on the case at a news conference on Feb. 5. Meanwhile, the NHL declined to comment, and the NHLPA stated it would not issue a statement at this time.
