Report: Four Current NHL Players Facing Charges in Sexual Assault Investigation
According to a TSN report, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote were directed to surrender to London police to be charged with sexual assault in connection with an alleged incident at a 2018 Hockey Canada event.
Update: Respective lawyers for New Jersey Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote, Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube and Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart said their clients have been charged with sexual assault, according to multiple reports.
Two lawyers representing McLeod said he has been charged with sexual assault, according to The Athletic, Sportsnet and The Canadian Press.
"We can now confirm that more than five and a half years after EM’s initial complaint to police, the London Police Service has charged Mike McLeod with sexual assault," said the statement by David Humphrey and Seth Weinstein of lawyer firm Greenspan Humphrey Weinstein. "Mr. McLeod denies any criminal wrongdoing. He will be pleading not guilty and will vigorously defend the case. None of the evidence has been presented, let alone tested in court. We ask that the public respect Mr. McLeod’s privacy, and his family’s privacy. Because the matter is now before the court, we will not comment further at this time."
A lawyer for Dube said the player has also been charged with sexual assault, according to TSN's Rick Westhead.
Dube "will not plead not guilty and maintains his innocence," in a statement by Louis P. Strezos and Kaleigh Davidson. "He will defend the allegations in court. We ask that you respect the privacy of Mr. Dube and that of his family."
Megan Savard and Riaz Sayani of Savard Foy LLP, Hart's lawyers, released a statement on social media saying he's been charged with one count of sexual assault.
"He is innocent and will provide a full response to this false allegation in the proper forum, a court of law. Until then, we have no comment," the statement said.
Julianna Greenspan of Greenspan Partners LLP said their client, Foote, was charged with sexual assault in a statement shared by Westhead.
"Cal is innocent of the charge and will defend himself against this allegation to clear his name," Greenspan's statement said. "What is most critical at this time is the presumption of innocence, and the right to a fair trial that everyone in Canada is entitled to. As the matter is before the court, I ask that Cal's and his family's privacy be respected."
The original story follows:
According to TSN's Rick Westhead, four current NHL players are among those directed to surrender to police in London, Ont., in connection to an alleged sexual assault following a Hockey Canada event in 2018.
Those players include Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, and Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames, two unnamed sources familiar with the matter told TSN.
Earlier this week, The Globe and Mail confirmed the identity of the fifth person ordered to surrender as former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenton, who’d been playing with Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland before taking a leave of absence from the team. Formenton reported to police on Jan. 28.
"The London Police have charged several players, including Alex Formenton, in connection with an accusation made in 2018," Formenton's legal team said in a statement to The Globe and Mail. "Alex will vigorously defend his innocence and ask that people not rush to judgment without hearing all of the evidence."
The players are expected to be “photographed, fingerprinted, and directed to sign an undertaking not to have contact with the alleged victim, either the first time they report to police or at a subsequent date,” according to TSN's report.
An investigation into the alleged assault reopened in 2022. It reportedly culminated in a filing to the Ontario Court of Justice where London police said it had reasonable grounds to suggest five members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team had committed criminal offenses.
None of the allegations against the players have been proven in court.
“We understand that there is significant public interest in relation to a sexual assault investigation dating back to 2018,” London Police wrote in a press release. “While we are unable to provide an update at this time, we anticipate that the London Police Service will hold a press conference on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024 to share further details.”
All of the players allegedly involved in the assault have already left their respective teams, with each taking leaves. NHL teams have not been specific about the reasons for the leaves of absence for their players.
The Calgary Flames stated on Jan. 21 that Dube had been “granted an indefinite leave of absence from the team while he attends to his mental health," adding he is under the care of health professionals. Hart was granted a leave of absence for "personal reasons," while the Devils did not provide a reason for the absences of Foote and McLeod.
Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere was asked about last Wednesday's Globe and Mail report and Hart's absence at a recent press conference, calling it “a very serious matter.”
“We will respond appropriately when the outcomes of the investigations are made public,” Briere told reporters.
Carter Hart had been serving as the Philadelphia Flyers’ starting netminder this season. In 26 games, he’d posted a 2.80 goals-against average and .906 save percentage along with a 12-9-4 record, including one shutout.
Dube has appeared in 43 games this season for the Calgary Flames, recording three goals and seven points, while Michael McLeod has totalled 10 goals and 19 points in 45 games with the New Jersey Devils. Cal Foote has played four games with the Devils this season, spending most of the year in the AHL with the Utica Comets.
Video to come.