NHL: Acquitted players in sexual assault case 'ineligible' to play pending review
'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 league said in a statement on Thursday, July 24, according to The Athletic. '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.'
Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were found not guilty of sexual assault by a judge on Thursday and McLeod was acquitted of a secondary charge of being a party to the offense.
All five were in London, Ontario, in June 2018 for a Hockey Canada gala celebrating their gold medal in the world junior hockey championship. Police charged them with sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room, but Justice Maria Carroccia ruled that she didn't find the complainant's evidence "credible or reliable."
All but Formenton were with NHL teams at the time they were charged in February 2024. The other four took leaves of absence and were cut loose when their teams didn't give them qualifying offers that June. All five are unrestricted free agents.
The NHL Players' Association disagreed with the league's action, noting that the players had been acquitted of all charges.
"After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work," the NHLPA said in a statement. "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."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Former Stars Defenseman Makes 10 Worst Contracts List
The Athletic released their annual list of the ten worst contracts, and former Stars defenseman Cody Ceci came in as the ninth worst in the NHL leading into the upcoming season. Ceci was acquired via trade from the San Jose Sharks prior to the trade deadline last season in a package deal that also included Mikael Granlund. Ceci paired with Esa Lindell in a top-4 role for most of the remainder of the year, including the postseason. Ceci's numbers did not look great during his tenure in Dallas, and while many of his skills were needed for the Stars to fill a role, he did not end up making enough of a difference to get Dallas over the hump. Now, Ceci signed a four-year deal for $4.5 million per season with the Los Angeles Kings, who are also looking to get over the Edmonton Oilers hump. The Kings have been eliminated four seasons in a row by the Oilers in the first round and are re-tooling with new General Manager Ken Holland. Ceci is a right defenseman, which are few and far between these days, especially during free agency. That is part of what fetched him this price, but general managers have long over-valued Ceci for what he actually brings to the table. The Athletic estimates his value at $1 million per season, meaning the Kings are paying over $14 million in surplus value over four seasons. Those stats get him listed on the list of worst NHL contracts. Interestingly enough, the aforementioned Granlund who also just left the Stars for a big contract elsewhere (3 years at $7 million with Anaheim) was one of the next five players who just barely missed the list. The Stars wanted Granlund back, but the Finn got paid well above his estimated value after a successful run with Dallas over the final months of the season. Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. How a New CBA Change Will Affect Stars Fans Insider: Stars Only Have 50 Percent Chance to Keep Forward Two Stars Legends Get Hall of Fame Nod Familiar Face Fills Texas Stars Coaching Vacancy
New York Post
44 minutes ago
- New York Post
Cowboys take stance following Micah Parsons' trade demand
Micah Parsons has made his desire to be traded from the Cowboys abundantly clear, but the team's front office has no plans to make that wish come true. Shortly after Parsons announced his trade request with a lengthy statement on X Friday, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that the Cowboys have 'no intention' to trade the superstar defensive end. Russini added that teams around the NFL are planning to check in with Dallas about Parsons' potential availability nonetheless. Advertisement Micah Parsons has requested a trade from the Cowboys. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Parsons, a 26-year-old widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in football, has been in a contract dispute with the Cowboys throughout the offseason. The four-time Pro-Bowler, entering the fifth and final season of his rookie contract, would make $24 million in 2025 if he were to play for Dallas without signing the massive extension he is due for. Advertisement In his statement, Parsons said he personally submitted his trade request to Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones on Friday. 'Unfortunately I no longer want to be here,' Parsons wrote. 'I no longer want to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization our fans and my teammates… I have made a tough decision I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys.' Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Penn State product said he had an informal conversation about leadership with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in March, which turned into a discussion about Parsons' new contract. Advertisement Parsons said he explained what he hoped to receive in his new contract and told Jones his agent would be in touch, then ending the meeting. 'In March, I met with Mr. Jones to talk about leadership,' Parsons said. 'Somehow the conversation turned into him talking contract with me. Yes I engaged in a back and forth in regards to what I wanted from my contract, but at no point did I believe this was supposed to be a formal negotiation and I informed Mr. Jones afterward my agent would reach out thinking this would get things done. 'But when my agent reached out and spoke to (ESPN's) Adam (Schefter) he was told the deal was pretty much already done. My agent of course told him that wasn't the case and also reached out to Stephen Jones. Again the team decided to go silent.' The Cowboys open the season on the road against the Eagles on Sept. 4.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Will Cuylle Will Be The Rangers' Biggest X-Factor For the 2025-26 Season
The New York Rangers' biggest X-factor going into the 2025-25 season is Will Cuylle. From his first to second season in the NHL, Cuylle made significant strides as he went from recording 21 points to 45 points. In addition to his increased point total, Cuylle transformed into a reliable two-way forward, becoming a consistent penalty killer for the Rangers and he made a significant impact from a defensive standpoint. Now, it feels as if the sky's the limit for Cuylle going into his third season. The 23-year-old forward will have an opportunity to solidify himself as a sure-fire top-six forward, which would be crucial in filling the void of Chris Kreider, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. Cuylle may possibly play alongside J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad to start the season, a trio that showed a lot of promise during parts of the 2024-25 campaign. The Rangers Should Choose Between J.T. Miller, Adam Fox, Or Vincent Trocheck To Become The Team's Next Captain There are three clear candidates for who should ultimately become the New York Rangers' next captain. It's Cuylle's impact he contributes at both ends of the ice that makes him invaluable and crucial to the Rangers' success moving forward. If he continues to make strides, Cuylle has the potential to be an All-Star caliber player and help propel the Blueshirts to great heights.
