NHL, NHLPA clash over 'eligibility' of five acquitted Canadian players in sexual assault case

A dispute has erupted between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) over the eligibility of five Canadian players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case. Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton were found not guilty of sexual assault, Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia ruled on Thursday. Additionally, McLeod was acquitted of a secondary charge of being a party to the offense.

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Despite the players being cleared in court on Thursday, the NHL has deemed them 'ineligible' to participate in the league, citing its own internal review. The NHLPA has strongly opposed the decision, arguing that it undermines due process and the legal outcome.


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The clash has sparked intense debate over player rights, league accountability, and public perception. As tensions rise, the future of the players' careers and the league's handling of such cases remains uncertain.

The NHL described the allegations in the case as 'very disturbing' regardless of the court's ruling.

"The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable," the NHL said in a statement, according to The Athletic, on Thursday. "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 NHLPA stated that declaring the players ineligible while the NHL continues its evaluation of the case violates the terms outlined in their collective bargaining agreement.

"Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod were acquitted of all charges by Justice Carroccia of the Ontario Superior Court," the NHLPA's statement read.

"After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. 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 CBA.

"We are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time," the statement further said.

All five players were in London, Ontario, in June 2018 for a Hockey Canada gala honoring their gold medal win at the World Junior Hockey Championship. They were later charged by police with sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room. However, Justice Carroccia dismissed the charges, stating in her ruling that she did not find the complainant's evidence to be 'credible or reliable'.

At the time of their arrests in 2024, McLeod, Hart, Dubé, and Foote were active NHL players, having been granted leave from their respective teams just days earlier. Formenton, a draft pick of the Ottawa Senators, had not played in the NHL since 2022.