Hockey Canada Players Acquitted in Assault Case Trial

Verdict & Charges:

• Five former players from Canada’s 2018 World Junior ice hockey team were found not guilty of sexual assault.
  
• The accused: Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, and Cal Foote.
  
• McLeod also faced an additional charge of being party to the offence — he was acquitted of that as well.
  

Judge’s Reasoning:

• Justice Maria Carroccia said she did not find the complainant’s testimony to be credible or reliable.
  
• The Crown failed to prove lack of consent, leading to the acquittals.
  

NHL’s Response:

• Called the behavior “very disturbing” even if not criminal.
  
• All five players are ineligible to play in the NHL until the league reviews the court’s findings.
  

Complainant’s Reaction:

• The complainant, known as E.M., was disappointed by the verdict.
  
• Her lawyer said she had never “experienced not being believed like this before.”
  

Background & Context:

• Alleged assault occurred in 2018 after a Hockey Canada gala.
  
• Initial police probe closed in 2019, but reopened in 2022 due to public outrage over Hockey Canada’s secret settlement using players’ registration fees.
  
• Led to:
  
  • Government funding freeze for Hockey Canada (10 months).
    
  • Sponsor withdrawals.
    
  • Resignation of Hockey Canada’s CEO and board.
    

Ongoing Proceedings:

• A separate Hockey Canada panel previously ruled on potential code-of-conduct violations — report under appeal, not yet public.
  

Hockey Canada declined comment post-verdict, citing the ongoing appeal.