In a recent development, court documents have revealed that five players from Canada's 2018 world junior team have been charged with sexual assault. Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames, and former NHL player Alex Formenton are all facing charges in connection to an alleged incident that occurred on June 19, 2018, in London, Ontario. The document, obtained by The Associated Press, was entered into the record on Wednesday.
It is worth noting that McLeod is also facing an additional charge of being a party to the offense of sexual assault. Lawyers representing all five players have confirmed the charges but vehemently denied any wrongdoing on their clients' behalf.
Taking the accusations seriously, the players involved have surrendered themselves to the authorities. Hart was the first to turn himself in last Friday, followed by Formenton and Foote on Sunday, Dube on Monday, and McLeod on Tuesday. In response to the severity of the situation, the London Police have scheduled a press conference for Monday to address the ongoing investigation.
Two members of the 2018 gold medal-winning team who were not implicated or charged were approached for their comments during the NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto. Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, who was named a Norris Trophy winner and playoff MVP in 2022 when his team clinched the Stanley Cup, revealed that he had been advised not to comment on the ongoing investigation. Makar was not present in London during the Hockey Canada Foundation fundraising gala, which allegedly precedes the incident.
Makar stated, 'Just a very fortunate bounce to not, obviously, be a part of something like that. But I’m just gonna leave it back to the people who are handling, obviously, the work right now. Again, I can’t stress enough that I wasn’t a part of that.'
Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues, another NHL All-Star, referred to his cooperation with the investigation. 'I’ve cooperated with the investigation, and that's all I'm going to comment on,' he said. 'That's all I've got for you.'
Given the gravity of the situation, questions naturally arose concerning Carter Hart, prompting reporters to seek comments from Philadelphia All-Star Travis Konecny. However, a team representative informed the media that questions regarding Hart were not permitted. Konecny respectfully declined to comment further, stating, 'At this time, I’m just not going to answer any questions about that.'
As the case unfolds, the hockey community awaits further details and the opportunity for due process to take its course. The players involved, who represent prominent NHL teams, are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Meanwhile, their respective organizations are likely to work closely with the authorities throughout the investigation.
This incident serves as a reminder that even within the world of sports, serious allegations must be taken seriously, emphasizing the importance of addressing such issues with the utmost care and sensitivity. As more information becomes available, the sports world will continue to closely follow the progress of the case.
Note: Associated Press writer Rob Gillies contributed to this report.
