The earliest NHL teams can sign one of the five players acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is Oct. 15. But that hasn’t stopped fans from organizing online petitions and threatening to cancel their season tickets in hopes of pressuring ownership to pass on them.
Apparently, it might be working.
So far, no team has publicly said they intend to sign either Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote or Alex Formenton.
Quite the opposite, actually.
Shortly after the NHL outlined the details for allowing the players back into the league — players can return to action no earlier than Dec. 1 — teams started to dissociate themselves from the players.
The Devils and Flames indicated they would not be bringing back former players' McLeod or Dube, respectively. As well, the Flyers and Senators both used the term, “fresh start,” to explain why they were not re-signing Hart or Formenton, respectively. As for Foote, he hasn't been linked to any teams.
That being said, there has been interest, particularly with the 27-year-old Hart, who had been a No. 1 goalie in Philadelphia before police in London, Ont., laid a sexual assault charge on him. A judge found him and the other four players not guilty of the charges.
NHL Confirms It Will Reinstate Players Acquitted In Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial
The five players from Hockey Canada's 2018 world junior team who were found not guilty of sexual assault this summer will eventually be allowed to return to the NHL.
The Carolina Hurricanes were reportedly close to signing Hart and McLeod. But their interest reportedly waned after significant public backlash, which included an online petition that garnered 1,776 signatures, an open letter to the front office, as well as threats to stop attending games.
“By choosing not to sign these players, the Hurricanes can reaffirm their commitment to all their fans and send a powerful statement that they prioritize a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment over winning games at any cost,” the petition stated. “Such a decision would not only resonate with fans who have survived similar traumas but also set a precedent that could influence the broader sports community towards greater accountability and respect.”
The Athletic and others are now reporting that the Hurricanes are now out on both players.
With Carolina no longer an option, The Athletic reported on Thursday that Vegas is interested in signing Hart. That is, unless the team also caves to public pressure.
Like Carolina, fans in Vegas have also started a petition, which has already more than 1,100 signatures, in hopes of preventing the team from taking a chance on Hart.
“Letting Hart on to this team would not only cause mass controversy and cause potential fans to turn against the team, but also it would be a permanent stain on the teams history – a stain they would never be able to get rid of,” the petition stated. “Despite being found not guilty, Carter Hart does not represent the values and morals that the Golden Knights organization proudly stands by, and makes sexual violence victims feel like this is an environment they cannot be apart of.”
Therein lies the difficulty in signing Hart or any other player involved in these sexual assault allegations.
The NHL is all about second chances.
Anaheim Ducks Explain Why They Hired Joel Quenneville As Their Next Coach
Joel Quenneville is returning to the NHL as the 12th coach of the Anaheim Ducks.
Though it's not the same, Milan Lucic, who was charged with a domestic violence charge (which was then dropped) was recently granted a professional tryout with the St. Louis Blues. Logan Mailloux, who was charged in Sweden for allegedly taking and distributing offensive photos without consent, was drafted in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens. And Joel Quenneville and Stan Bowman are back in the league after a two-and-a-half year ban for how they mishandled sexual assault allegations involving a former player and staff member.
The fact is that all five players involved in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were acquitted on all charges. And yet, the NHL still chose to suspend them, because it found their actions following a world junior celebration in London, Ont., to be "deeply troubling and unacceptable." While they were not found to be criminal, the players' conduct still did not meet the standard of moral integrity, the NHL said.
That being said, on Oct. 15, the players will have served their time. But for some fans, it's still not enough. And so, the challenge for Vegas and any other team that is interested in Hart, McLeod, Dube, Foote and Formenton is weighing the competitive advantage of adding a player with the public backlash of turning away fans.
NHL Made The Right But Difficult Decision With The Five Former WJC Players Found Not Guilty
When a London, Ont., judge ruled on Thursday that all five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/all-five-former-world-junior-players-found-not-guilty-in-hockey-canada-sexual-assault-trial">not guilty on all charges</a>, the NHL found itself at a crossroads of moral decency.
For Vegas, Hart could be the difference between winning a championship or losing in the second round again. Then again, he could be the difference between dissociating itself from a fan base that has up until now been loyal.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.