WARNING: This article references alleged sexual assault and may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone impacted by it.
Five former world junior hockey players on Thursday were found not guilty of sexual assault, prompting a wave of reaction — including from the NHL and the league’s players’ association — and a scathing rebuke from defence lawyers about how Hockey Canada handled the accusations
Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia spent over five hours recounting the evidence before handing down the rulings in London, Ont., court. Only select media were allowed in the main courtroom, due to the overwhelming number of people jockeying to get a seat, while others were directed to an overflow room.
After providing her reasons for finding Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote not guilty, Carroccia told the court: “The accused are free to go.”
The eight-week trial, which ended with closing submissions in mid-June, attracted intense interest from around the world.
Within hours of the rulings, the NHL said the five men will remain ineligible to play in the league pending a review. All five were members of the 2018 world junior championship team and had at some point played in the NHL.
“The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behaviour at issue was unacceptable,” the NHL statement said. “We will be reviewing and considering the judge’s findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league.”
The NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA), however, contends otherwise.
“After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work,” the NHLPA said in a statement Thursday evening. “The NHL’s declaration that the players are ‘ineligible’ to play pending its further analysis of the court’s findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the collective bargaining agreement. We are addressing this dispute with the league and will have no further comment at this time.”
The five men had pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room in June 2018 while the team was in London for a Hockey Canada gala. McLeod also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge, of being a party to the offence.
