An independent appeal board has determined that five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team, who were cleared of sexual assault allegations last year, violated the Hockey Canada code of conduct.
Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to uphold the board’s recommendations regarding the ongoing suspensions and reinstatement schedules for Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod.
The players were acquitted in July 2025 in relation to charges of sexual assault stemming from an incident involving a woman referred to as “E.M.” during a 2018 Hockey Canada gala in London, Ontario, commemorating the national junior team’s world championship victory.
Despite the acquittal, a panel composed of John Laskin, Katherine Swinton, and Thomas McEwen proposed that four of the players remain suspended from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.
The reinstatement dates vary among the players, with McLeod set to be eligible for reinstatement on November 10, 2030. Foote will be eligible on the same date, while Hart and Dube will become eligible in 2027 and 2028, respectively. Formenton, on the other hand, is immediately eligible for reinstatement.
Hockey Canada has confirmed that all other members of the 2018 team are now eligible for consideration to participate in any Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs effective immediately.
The suspended players, who had NHL careers prior to the legal proceedings, have been free to sign with NHL teams since October 15 and have been able to participate in games since December 1.
Regarding the current whereabouts of the five players, Hart signed with the Vegas Golden Knights and contributed to their advancement to this year’s Stanley Cup final. Dube secured an NHL contract with St. Louis on July 1. McLeod played in the previous season with Omsk Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League. Foote played for the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League last season and had a contract with Farjestad BK terminated recently due to public backlash. Formenton has been playing in Switzerland for the past three seasons.
In 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit with the woman involved outside of court. This led to Canada’s former sport minister, Pascale St. Onge, ordering a forensic audit to ensure that public funds were not utilized in the settlement, and federal funding to the organization was suspended for nearly a year.
Emphasizing the importance of accountability, Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s current secretary of sport, acknowledged the findings of the independent appeal board and highlighted the breach of the Hockey Canada Code of Conduct by all five players. He stated that this case sparked a national dialogue on safe sport and the concerning culture in men’s hockey, crediting the voices of women and survivors for instigating positive changes in the sport’s culture.
Since 2022, Hockey Canada has made significant strides in addressing systemic issues and is now a full signatory to the Canadian Safe Sport Program, demonstrating its commitment to fostering a culture of positive change.
The government remains vigilant in overseeing national sport organizations to ensure that they are implementing measures to prevent and address any forms of misconduct, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in sports. The continuous monitoring aims to promote a culture of safety, respect, and integrity across all sports.