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Time of India
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Who is Cal Foote? NHL defenseman and former Stanley Cup champion accused in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
Cal Foote, once a rising star in the and a Stanley Cup winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning, is now facing serious legal trouble as one of the players charged in the high-profile Hockey Canada sexual assault case. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Foote, the son of former NHL defenceman Adam Foote, was among five former members of Canada's 2018 World Junior team indicted for their alleged involvement in a group sexual assault that took place in London, Ontario. The rise of Cal Foote from first-round draft pick to Stanley Cup glory Drafted 14th overall in 2017 by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Cal Foote was once viewed as a cornerstone defenseman. He played junior hockey with the Kelowna Rockets and quickly established himself with his size, skill, and NHL pedigree. He signed his entry-level contract with Tampa in 2018 and made his NHL debut during the 2020–21 season. That same season, he became part of the Lightning's championship-winning roster, cementing his status as a young player to watch. Foote later played for the Nashville Predators and had a brief stint with the New Jersey Devils, where he was reunited with his younger brother Nolan. After struggling to secure a permanent NHL role, Foote signed with Slovakian team MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš in 2024. Charges related to the 2018 Hockey Canada scandal On January 30, 2024, Cal Foote was charged with one count of sexual assault in relation to an incident following a Hockey Canada gala in 2018. The London Police Service confirmed the charge days later. The allegations claim that several members of the Canadian national junior team were involved in a non-consensual sexual encounter with a woman in a hotel room. Foote's lawyer has stated that he "is innocent" and intends to fight the charge. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The trial began in April 2025 and has become one of the most talked-about cases in Canadian sports, drawing national attention to systemic issues in hockey culture. Alongside Foote, other prominent former NHL players were also charged. Also Read: While the legal proceedings continue, Foote's future in professional hockey remains uncertain, as he was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Devils and now plays overseas.
Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
No NHL, Crosby faced the powerhouse Knights: Looking back at the 2005 Memorial Cup
Corey Perry remembers playing on what felt like hockey's biggest stage well before reaching a Stanley Cup final. The year was 2005. The NHL was locked out. Rabid fans in Canada were starved for high-level hockey. Perry's powerhouse London Knights, meanwhile, were hosting a Memorial Cup headlined by 17-year-old Sidney Crosby of the Rimouski Océanic, captivating fans across the country. 'It was pretty much on the North American stage,' said Perry, now 40 and chasing the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers. 'No NHL, and Sid being in Rimouski. And then our team, the season that we had. 'Well worth the watch because there's nothing else going on.' This year's Memorial Cup, which began last Friday and runs through Sunday, marks the 20th anniversary of the famous '05 tournament in London, Ont. And the parallels between the two editions are striking. London's back — and once again, coach Dale Hunter's got a team stacked with NHL prospects. Rimouski's back too, this time as host. And while Crosby stole the spotlight 20 years ago, the star this year is 17-year-old Gavin McKenna of the Medicine Hat Tigers, another phenom expected to take the NHL by storm in a couple of seasons. The 2025 tournament also carries a stellar field — with fierce competition in tight round-robin matchups through Monday — but the 2005 Memorial Cup still resonates two decades later. 'In 04-05, there were some special players on that ice who are still playing,' Hunter said. The defending champion Kelowna Rockets — featuring future Hall of Fame defenceman Shea Weber — were also in the tournament alongside the Ottawa 67's, led by Hall of Fame coach Brian Kilrea. 'Everyone was looking for entertainment, and junior hockey was on the map,' Kilrea said. Now 90, Kilrea still recalls what undid his team that year. 'That Sidney Crosby, we just couldn't stop him,' he said. 'Whenever he had the puck, he was beating somebody and either setting up or scoring a goal. He was phenomenal. 'Everyone knew that you had to stop Sidney Crosby. Well, we didn't. London did.' Crosby led the tournament with six goals and 11 points, including a three-goal, two-assist performance in a 7-4 win over Ottawa in the semifinal. London then slowed 'Sid the Kid' down with a 4-0 victory in the championship game, after edging Rimouski 4-3 in an overtime thriller to begin the event. The 2005 Knights were named the Canadian Hockey League's 'Team of the Century' in 2018. London began the season on a 31-game unbeaten run on the way to 59 wins and 120 points, Ontario Hockey League records that still hold up today. Eleven players later made the NHL. 'Special team, pretty special group of guys,' said Perry, the Memorial Cup MVP who returned to London and reunited with his former teammates for a 20th anniversary celebration in March. 'A lot of NHL players ended up playing on that team and had great careers.' With no NHL and Crosby as the star attraction, the event became a spectacle for fans and the media. Kelowna Rockets owner Bruce Hamilton remembers a party atmosphere in London, inside and outside the arena. Spectators packed the 9,000-capacity John Labatt Centre, now Canada Life Place, and thousands more watched a big screen outdoors. 'It was a major event there, and I remember the whole downtown was alive,' said Hamilton, who's also the Rockets' president and GM. 'They had the big tent outside, there was a street party that was going on, and it was packed every day.' Rimouski forward Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Crosby's linemate, can still picture the steady stream of cameras and microphones flooding the dressing room after games and practices. 'I was still in junior, but I felt like we were professional with all the big TV (networks),' said Pouliot, who played 192 NHL games. 'I had never seen anything like this before.' PLAYING WITH SID Pouliot had grown accustomed to the buzz after two seasons with Crosby, instantly the QMJHL's best player when he entered the league at 16. 'He's playing a pre-season game and scoring hat tricks and having like five or six breakaways,' Pouliot said. 'Right away, we knew he was the real deal.' Crosby led the league with 135 points in 2003-04 before exploding for 168 in 62 games in 2004-05, finishing 52 points ahead of second-leading scorer Dany Roussin, his Rimouski linemate. Pouliot said Crosby's physical strength and burst of speed were next-level, but what stood out most was his maturity and commitment to detail, including his superstitious pre-game rituals. No one was allowed to touch No. 87's stick before games. Crosby also followed a step-by-step process for putting on equipment, including some gear he still holds onto. 'I don't know if it was his jock or his underwear, but I'm sure he's still wearing this, or somehow kept it 20 years after,' said Pouliot, who still keeps in touch with the Pittsburgh Penguins captain. Despite Crosby's intensity at the rink, Pouliot said he was an easygoing guy who liked to crack jokes. 'He's very humble, that was a plus,' he said. 'You never know with those superstars, how they act off the ice, but this guy was really humble and a really amazing guy.' — With files from Gemma Karstens-Smith. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
No NHL, Crosby faced the powerhouse Knights: Looking back at the 2005 Memorial Cup
Corey Perry remembers playing on what felt like hockey's biggest stage well before reaching a Stanley Cup final. The year was 2005. The NHL was locked out. Rabid fans in Canada were starved for high-level hockey. Perry's powerhouse London Knights, meanwhile, were hosting a Memorial Cup headlined by 17-year-old Sidney Crosby of the Rimouski Océanic, captivating fans across the country. 'It was pretty much on the North American stage,' said Perry, now 40 and chasing the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers. 'No NHL, and Sid being in Rimouski. And then our team, the season that we had. 'Well worth the watch because there's nothing else going on.' This year's Memorial Cup, which began last Friday and runs through Sunday, marks the 20th anniversary of the famous '05 tournament in London, Ont. And the parallels between the two editions are striking. London's back — and once again, coach Dale Hunter's got a team stacked with NHL prospects. Rimouski's back too, this time as host. And while Crosby stole the spotlight 20 years ago, the star this year is 17-year-old Gavin McKenna of the Medicine Hat Tigers, another phenom expected to take the NHL by storm in a couple of seasons. The 2025 tournament also carries a stellar field — with fierce competition in tight round-robin matchups through Monday — but the 2005 Memorial Cup still resonates two decades later. 'In 04-05, there were some special players on that ice who are still playing,' Hunter said. The defending champion Kelowna Rockets — featuring future Hall of Fame defenceman Shea Weber — were also in the tournament alongside the Ottawa 67's, led by Hall of Fame coach Brian Kilrea. 'Everyone was looking for entertainment, and junior hockey was on the map,' Kilrea said. Now 90, Kilrea still recalls what undid his team that year. 'That Sidney Crosby, we just couldn't stop him,' he said. 'Whenever he had the puck, he was beating somebody and either setting up or scoring a goal. He was phenomenal. 'Everyone knew that you had to stop Sidney Crosby. Well, we didn't. London did.' Crosby led the tournament with six goals and 11 points, including a three-goal, two-assist performance in a 7-4 win over Ottawa in the semifinal. London then slowed 'Sid the Kid' down with a 4-0 victory in the championship game, after edging Rimouski 4-3 in an overtime thriller to begin the event. The 2005 Knights were named the Canadian Hockey League's 'Team of the Century' in 2018. London began the season on a 31-game unbeaten run on the way to 59 wins and 120 points, Ontario Hockey League records that still hold up today. Eleven players later made the NHL. 'Special team, pretty special group of guys,' said Perry, the Memorial Cup MVP who returned to London and reunited with his former teammates for a 20th anniversary celebration in March. 'A lot of NHL players ended up playing on that team and had great careers.' With no NHL and Crosby as the star attraction, the event became a spectacle for fans and the media. Kelowna Rockets owner Bruce Hamilton remembers a party atmosphere in London, inside and outside the arena. Spectators packed the 9,000-capacity John Labatt Centre, now Canada Life Place, and thousands more watched a big screen outdoors. 'It was a major event there, and I remember the whole downtown was alive,' said Hamilton, who's also the Rockets' president and GM. 'They had the big tent outside, there was a street party that was going on, and it was packed every day.' Rimouski forward Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Crosby's linemate, can still picture the steady stream of cameras and microphones flooding the dressing room after games and practices. 'I was still in junior, but I felt like we were professional with all the big TV (networks),' said Pouliot, who played 192 NHL games. 'I had never seen anything like this before.' PLAYING WITH SID Pouliot had grown accustomed to the buzz after two seasons with Crosby, instantly the QMJHL's best player when he entered the league at 16. 'He's playing a pre-season game and scoring hat tricks and having like five or six breakaways,' Pouliot said. 'Right away, we knew he was the real deal.' Crosby led the league with 135 points in 2003-04 before exploding for 168 in 62 games in 2004-05, finishing 52 points ahead of second-leading scorer Dany Roussin, his Rimouski linemate. Pouliot said Crosby's physical strength and burst of speed were next-level, but what stood out most was his maturity and commitment to detail, including his superstitious pre-game rituals. No one was allowed to touch No. 87's stick before games. Crosby also followed a step-by-step process for putting on equipment, including some gear he still holds onto. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'I don't know if it was his jock or his underwear, but I'm sure he's still wearing this, or somehow kept it 20 years after,' said Pouliot, who still keeps in touch with the Pittsburgh Penguins captain. Despite Crosby's intensity at the rink, Pouliot said he was an easygoing guy who liked to crack jokes. 'He's very humble, that was a plus,' he said. 'You never know with those superstars, how they act off the ice, but this guy was really humble and a really amazing guy.' — With files from Gemma Karstens-Smith. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025.
National Post
22-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Kelowna Rockets trade for rights to Vancouver Giants' star as part of build for next year's Memorial Cup
Mazden Leslie's hockey future added a new option Wednesday. Article content Article content Leslie, who was Vancouver Giants' captain and the WHL's second-leading scoring defenceman this past season, saw his junior rights traded to the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2028 WHL Draft and a conditional third rounder in 2026. Article content The Rockets are loading up for next season, since they'll be hosting the 2026 Memorial Cup national championship tournament. Article content The trade is for his rights and includes conditions because Leslie, 20, has said that his main aim is to sign with an NHL team and play somewhere in the professional ranks next year, giving up his final season of junior eligibility in the process. He also said back in February that if he didn't play pro next season, he'd instead suit up for Ohio's Bowling Green State University rather come back to the WHL. The conditions portions are attached to him reporting to the Rockets. Article content The Rockets will obviously make a pitch to supplant Bowling Green as his destination of choice if he doesn't get a pro deal, dangling all the attention that comes with a guaranteed Memorial Cup appearance as a carrot. At the very least, they'll stay in contact throughout the year, whether he's playing in the minors or at Bowling Green, and see if he's willing to change course midway through the campaign. Article content There's always the chance that he signs a deal with an NHL team and they assign him back to junior and the Rockets. Signing a pro deal would nix his NCAA eligibility. Article content Leslie has been passed over in the past two NHL Drafts. He is ranked No. 133 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting for this year's upcoming draft. It's rare that a player of his age would be selected. If he winds up being passed over again, he'll undoubtedly get a free-agent invite to an NHL camp. He's gone to camps that route the past two years with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights, respectively. Article content Article content Leslie, who's a 6-foot-1 and 202-pound right-handed shot, totalled 21 goals and 72 points in 66 regular season games with Vancouver this past season. The only rearguard to produce more points in the WHL than Leslie was Tyson Jugnauth, the Portland Winterhawk who recorded 89 points, including 13 goals, in 65 games.
The Province
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Province
Kelowna Rockets trade for rights to Vancouver Giants' star as part of build for next year's Memorial Cup
Defenceman Mazden Leslie has said that his first preference is to play pro hockey next season, and he's also got the option to play collegiately at Bowling Green Get the latest from Steve Ewen straight to your inbox If he's back in the WHL next season, Mazden Leslie (No. 47) will be trying to win races for the Kelowna Rockets instead of the Vancouver Giants. Photo by Rob Wilton / Vancouver Giants Mazden Leslie's hockey future added a new option Wednesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Leslie, who was Vancouver Giants' captain and the WHL's second-leading scoring defenceman this past season, saw his junior rights traded to the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2028 WHL Draft and a conditional third rounder in 2026. The Rockets are loading up for next season, since they'll be hosting the 2026 Memorial Cup national championship tournament. The trade is for his rights and includes conditions because Leslie, 20, has said that his main aim is to sign with an NHL team and play somewhere in the professional ranks next year, giving up his final season of junior eligibility in the process. He also said back in February that if he didn't play pro next season, he'd instead suit up for Ohio's Bowling Green State University rather come back to the WHL. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The conditions portions are attached to him reporting to the Rockets. The Rockets will obviously make a pitch to supplant Bowling Green as his destination of choice if he doesn't get a pro deal, dangling all the attention that comes with a guaranteed Memorial Cup appearance as a carrot. At the very least, they'll stay in contact throughout the year, whether he's playing in the minors or at Bowling Green, and see if he's willing to change course midway through the campaign. There's always the chance that he signs a deal with an NHL team and they assign him back to junior and the Rockets. Signing a pro deal would nix his NCAA eligibility. Leslie has been passed over in the past two NHL Drafts. He is ranked No. 133 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting for this year's upcoming draft. It's rare that a player of his age would be selected. If he winds up being passed over again, he'll undoubtedly get a free-agent invite to an NHL camp. He's gone to camps that route the past two years with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights, respectively. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Leslie, who's a 6-foot-1 and 202-pound right-handed shot, totalled 21 goals and 72 points in 66 regular season games with Vancouver this past season. The only rearguard to produce more points in the WHL than Leslie was Tyson Jugnauth, the Portland Winterhawk who recorded 89 points, including 13 goals, in 65 games. Leslie tied Kevin Connauton (24 goals, 72 points, 2009-10) for most points by a Giants defenceman in a regular season. He also ranks 10th all-time among all Giants skaters with 190 points (57G-133A) and tied with Mitch Bartley for sixth in career games with 280. If he came back to Vancouver next season, Leslie would have blown by the Neil Manning's franchise lead in games played of 310. Leslie's games played total is bolstered by the fact that he played 17 games as a 15-year-old during the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic-truncated season. He was permitted to be a regular a full season early because there was no minor hockey that year. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This deal comes despite the fact that the Giants parted ways with general manager Barclay Parneta on April 30 and on Monday announced that coach Manny Viveiros wouldn't be returning because he had landed a pro job with Red Bull Salzburg, an Austrian team. A committee featuring vice-president of operations/assistant general manager Peter Toigo, director of player personnel Greg Batters and head scout Terry Bonner handled the Penticton Vees expansion draft and the WHL Draft for Vancouver. Giants owner Ron Toigo and Kelowna owner/GM Bruce Hamilton have a long history as well, so it wouldn't be surprising if that played a role in the deal. The Rockets are looking for a coach, too, after firing Kris Mallette last January. Kelowna finished last in the Western Conference last season at 18-44-4-2. It'll be interesting to see what Hamilton does to help build up the roster. SEwen@ @SteveEwen Read More Vancouver Canucks Columnists Local News CFL Vancouver Canucks
