An independent appeal board has determined that five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team, who were previously cleared of sexual assault charges last year, violated the Hockey Canada code of conduct.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Hockey Canada confirmed its acceptance of the board’s recommendations regarding the ongoing suspensions and reinstatement timelines for Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod.
The players were acquitted in July 2025 following allegations of sexual assault involving a woman identified as “E.M.” during a 2018 Hockey Canada gala in London, Ont., commemorating the national junior team’s gold medal win at the world championship.
However, a three-member appeal board consisting of John Laskin, Katherine Swinton, and Thomas McEwen advised that four of the players should remain suspended from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.
The reinstatement dates vary, with McLeod ineligible for reinstatement until Nov. 10, 2030. Foote’s eligibility is set for Nov. 10, while Hart and Dube will be eligible on Nov. 10 in 2027 and 2028, respectively. Formenton, on the other hand, is immediately eligible for reinstatement.
Hockey Canada has stated that all other members of the 2018 team are now eligible to be considered for participation in any Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.
The affected players, who had NHL careers prior to the charges, have been free to sign with NHL teams since Oct. 15 and have been able to play since Dec. 1.
As for 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 for Omsk Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League last season. Foote competed for the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League and recently had a contract with Farjestad BK terminated. Formenton has been playing in Switzerland for the past three seasons.
Following the revelation in 2022 that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit out of court with the woman involved, Canada’s former sport minister, Pascale St. Onge, initiated a forensic audit to ensure public funds were not used in the settlement and suspended federal funding to the organization for almost a year.
In response to the appeal board’s findings, Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s current secretary of sport, emphasized the importance of accountability and the need for a safe sport culture. He acknowledged the progress made by Hockey Canada in addressing systemic issues and promoting a culture of change since 2022. Van Koeverden stressed the necessity for national sport organizations to prioritize safety and well-being and emphasized the government’s commitment to overseeing the implementation of measures to prevent and address maltreatment in sports.