An independent appeals board has determined that five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team, who were cleared of sexual assault charges last year, violated the Hockey Canada code of conduct.
Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday that it has accepted the board’s recommendations for ongoing suspensions and reinstatement dates for Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod.
The players were acquitted in July 2025 following accusations of sexual assault involving a woman referred to as “E.M.” during a 2018 Hockey Canada event in London, Ont., celebrating the national junior team’s world championship victory.
Despite their acquittal, a panel of three judges – John Laskin, Katherine Swinton, and Thomas McEwen – advised that four of the players should remain suspended from Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities.
The reinstatement dates vary for each player, with McLeod’s eligibility set for Nov. 10, 2030. Foote will be eligible on the same date, while Hart and Dube will be eligible in 2027 and 2028, respectively. Formenton is immediately eligible for reinstatement.
According to Hockey Canada, all other members of the 2018 team are now eligible to be considered for participation in any sanctioned programs.
The suspended players, who had NHL careers prior to the accusations, have been free to sign with NHL teams since October 15 and to play since December 1.
As for the current whereabouts of the five players, Hart signed with the Vegas Golden Knights and contributed to their journey to this year’s Stanley Cup final. Dube secured a contract with St. Louis on July 1, while McLeod played for Omsk Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League last season. Foote played for the Chicago Wolves in the AHL and had a contract with Farjestad BK rescinded due to public backlash. Formenton has been playing in Switzerland for the past three seasons.
In 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit with the woman involved out of court. This led Canada’s former sport minister, Pascale St. Onge, to order a forensic audit to ensure that public funds were not used in the settlement, resulting in federal funding being frozen for almost a year.
Adam van Koeverden, the current secretary of sport for Canada, acknowledged the findings of the independent appeals board and emphasized the importance of accountability and creating a safer sports environment. He highlighted the progress made by Hockey Canada in addressing systemic issues and ensuring a culture of safety and respect within the sport.
The government continues to monitor national sport organizations closely to ensure that necessary changes are being implemented to promote a culture of safety, respect, and integrity in all sports.
