Four of the five Canadian world junior players who were charged with sexual assault in June 2018 have been released by their NHL teams. Carter Hart from the Philadelphia Flyers, Dillon Dubé from the Calgary Flames, and Michael McLeod and Cal Foote from the New Jersey Devils are now unrestricted free agents. They had been on paid leave from their teams since late January when they were asked to surrender to the London Police Service to face the charges.
The trial date for these players has not been set yet. Each team had to decide whether to issue a qualifying offer by the deadline to retain the NHL rights of the players, and all three teams decided against it. If the offers had been accepted, the players would have continued to be paid while on leave as the legal process unfolded, possibly lasting through the next season.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed that there are currently no restrictions on the players signing with another team immediately. However, given the uncertainty surrounding their situations, it may be challenging for them to find new opportunities in the NHL. There were discussions between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association about potentially freezing the players’ status until after the trial, but no agreement was reached.
It is likely that Hart, Dubé, McLeod, and Foote may consider playing in Europe, similar to Alex Formenton, who played in Switzerland for the past two seasons. Formenton’s NHL rights will remain with the Ottawa Senators until 2027. The five players are facing charges for an incident that occurred in a hotel room following a Hockey Canada Gala celebrating the world junior team’s gold-medal win.
The situation remains unclear, and the trial date is yet to be determined. The players may have to explore different options for their careers, considering the circumstances surrounding their legal issues. The NHL and NHL Players’ Association were unable to come to an agreement on how to handle the players’ status until after the trial.
As the players navigate this challenging time, their futures in the NHL are uncertain. It is a difficult situation for everyone involved, and the legal process will need to play out before any decisions can be made about their hockey careers. The players may need to consider alternative options, such as playing in Europe, to continue their careers while the legal proceedings unfold.