NHL Players Acquitted in Assault Case Face Uncertain Futures

Colleen Finn

Staff Writer

In Jan. 2024, NHL players Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, Micheal McLeod, and Cal Foote were granted leaves of absence by the NHL in relation to a 2018 sexual assault case. Alex Forementon, a former Senators forward who had signed with Swiss team HC Ambrì-Piotta was also involved in the case. In the claim, the plaintiff alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by multiple men, including members of Canada’s 2018 World Juniors team following a charity event hosted by Team Canada.

The five players were found not guilty in July 2025. ESPN reported that the judge admonished the plaintiff’s character and believed that her “allegations lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges.” The NHL recently released a statement claiming that they have “carefully evaluated the players’ acquittal in court and the time spent away from the game,” and “have determined that the players will be eligible to sign an NHL contract no sooner than October 15, 2025, and eligible to play in NHL games no sooner than December 1, 2025.”

While the Devils have dropped McLeod and Foote, their professional hockey careers are not over. During his leave from the NHL, Foote played for Slovakian team HK 32 Liptovský Mikuláš. According to CBS Sports, a few teams may be planning to sign McLeod. Similarly, the Athletic reported on rumors that some teams are considering a contract with Carter Hart.

Senators General Manager Steve Staios has confirmed that they will not be resigning Formenton, and that both Formenton and the organization agree that “a fresh start” would “be best for everybody.” The Athletic shared that he has signed another contract with HC Ambrì-Piotta and is “awaiting possible NHL reinstatement.”

The news has garnered a mixed reaction from fans. While some are excited to see the players return and argue the players deserve to continue their careers after being cleared in court, others believe the NHL handled the situation poorly. By not taking the allegations more seriously, it seems to some that the NHL demonstrated that they prioritize the success of their players over the impact of their actions on others.