Dube, who left the team on Jan. 21 to tend to his "mental health", facing allegations from a June 2018 attack in London, Ont.

The lawyer for Dillon Dube announced the Calgary Flames forward has been charged with sexual assault, and will plead not guilty.

Dube "maintains his innocence" and "will defend the allegations in court", his counsel, Louis P. Strezos and Kaleigh Davidson, told TSN reporter Rick Westhead via statement on Tuesday.

Dube, along with Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers and Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, are all facing charges after an alleged incident following a Hockey Canada gala event in June 2018.

The players are to surrender to police before a press conference on Monday, Feb. 5.

Alex Formenton, a former member of the Ottawa Senators who had been playing in Switzerland, reported to police on Sunday.

Dube, who was captain of the team that was being celebrated for winning gold at the 2018 world junior championships during the Hockey Canada event, took a leave of absence from the Flames on Jan. 21, and at the time the Flames said it was to attend “to his mental health”.

On Tuesday, the Flames sent out a statement: "We have now become aware of the charge of sexual assault that has been laid against Dillon Dube. We take this matter very seriously. Because the matter is now pending legal proceedings, we will have no further comment at this time. We had no knowledge of pending charges at the time Dillon’s request for a leave of absence was granted."

The complainant in the case, a women referred to as “E.M.” in court documents, met some of the players at a downtown bar on the night of June 19, 2018. In a civil lawsuit, she alleged that she left the bar with one man and hand consensual sex. That man invited other players to his room without her consent and also had sex with her.

None of the allegations have been proven.

London police investigated the allegations and originally closed the case without laying charges.

Hockey Canada reportedly settled a $3.55-million lawsuit from the complainant against Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and eight unnamed players in connection to the incident.

Amidst the backlash from the settlement becoming public, investigations were commissioned by the NHL and Hockey Canada, and the London police re-opened the investigation.

The players have been paid during their leaves, but if police announce charges, their contracts may be terminated.

Dube, 25, has played nearly 350 games for the Flames. This season, he managed only three goals and seven points in 43 contests.

He is in the final season of a three-year contract worth $2.3 million annually.