The National Hockey League announced last week that five players who were acquitted of sexual assault in July will be allowed to return to the league later this year.
In a statement, the NHL said Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod will be eligible to sign new contracts as of Oct. 15 and allowed to play starting Dec. 1. Hockey Canada’s sanctions against the players remain in place. In 2022, it suspended the entire 2018 world junior team over the incident. They’re not allowed to play, coach, officiate or volunteer in any program Hockey Canada oversees.
Already, there are howls of protest over the reinstatement from those who’d like to see the five punished in perpetuity. A review of the court case dictates otherwise. Justice Maria Carroccia was unequivocal in her judgment. She stated that she didn’t find evidence given by the accuser, known only as EM, “credible or reliable.”
“The Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts,” the judge said.
The charges arose from an incident in a hotel room after a Hockey Canada gala in London, Ont., in 2018. Police investigated the allegations at the time and decided not to lay charges. In 2022, a furor erupted over Hockey Canada quietly awarding a multi-million dollar settlement to EM from a previously unheard of “Equity Fund” used to pay off sexual assault lawsuits. The controversy prompted police to reopen the investigation and lay charges.
At the time of their arrests, the players all had golden futures: Dube was playing with the Calgary Flames, McLeod and Foote were with the New Jersey Devils and Hart was with the Philadelphia Flyers. Formenton was playing with a Swiss club.
They were all granted leaves of absence from their teams at the time and their contracts all expired.
Sordid and unseemly conduct is not against the law. These five young players have now expressed remorse. Not only have they lost almost two years of salary, but their skills have likely suffered as a result.
They’ve been tested and acquitted in a court of law. Cancel culture may want to continue to punish them, but enough is enough. Everyone has the right to a living.