Four NHL players have been charged with sexual assault in Canada. The players are Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, New Jersey Devils center Michael McLeod, defenseman Cal Foote, and Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube.
The incident is alleged to have occurred in June 2018 during a Hockey Canada event in London, Ontario, Canada, and all four players are on a leave of absence from their NHL teams.
Authorities also officially charged former Ottawa Senators player Alex Formenton, who reported to police in London, Ontario, on Jan. 28. Formenton currently plays in Switzerland.
What Happened?
The five hockey players were part of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Championships team. They are alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman at a London, Ontario, hotel on June 19, 2018, after a Hockey Canada Foundation golf and gala event.
The accuser, known currently in civil court documents as E.M., reportedly met some of the players downtown at a bar after the golf event. She alleges that she left the bar with one of the men, and they had consensual sex. However, she also claims that the man invited other players to his room to have sex with her without consent.
On Tuesday, attorneys for the four players addressed the case, and the players have been ordered to surrender to the London Police Service before they hold a press conference on Monday according to Canadian news outlet TSN. The attorneys for each player are declaring their innocence.
Carter Hart is charged with one count of sexual assault, and his attorneys are adamant that the allegation is false.
“[Hart] is innocent and will provide a full response to this false allegation in the proper forum, a court of law. Until then, we have no comment.” Carter’s lawyer Megan Savard and Riaz Sayani of the Canadian defense firm Savard Foy said in a statement released Tuesday evening.
What Happens Now?
The professional fate of the players are in the air and the Philadelphia Flyers general manager Danny Briere said to the media last week he had no clue what would happen next for his player, Carter Hart.
“We are aware of this morning’s press reports on a very serious matter. We will respond appropriately when the outcomes of the investigations are made public,” Briere said. “The NHL has been very clear that teams should refer all investigation-related questions to them. In the meantime, members of the organization, including Flyers players, will not be commenting any further.”
