NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict

Five former world junior hockey players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case will remain ineligible to play in the NHL, according to the league. This move has drawn backlash from the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA), which says the players deserve to return to work.

On Thursday, in a London, Ont., courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia found Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod not guilty , more than seven years after an allegation of group sexual assault emerged involving members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team.

Despite the verdict, the players’ conduct is still under review, and they are still sidelined according to a statement from the NHL.

“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. “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.”

The decision drew criticism from the NHL Players’ Association, which argued that the league was ignoring due process and overstepping its authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

In a statement, the NHLPA said that the players were acquitted of all charges, and that “after missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work.

“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.”

They added, “we are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.​”

The case first drew major attention in 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a civil case. It resulted in a broader scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, which triggered widespread scrutiny of how sexual violence is handled in sport, the loss of corporate sponsorships, and forced the resignation of top Hockey Canada executives.

Since 2022, Hockey Canada has suspended all players involved in the case from sanctioned programming, and those suspensions remain in effect pending the outcome of an internal appeal process.

In a lengthy statement, Hockey Canada said it would not comment further due to the ongoing appeal of a previous adjudicative panel decision that had examined whether players breached the organization’s code of conduct.

“To ensure that we do not interfere with the integrity of the ongoing appeal … we are not able to comment further at this time,” the statement said.

The organization added that it has since introduced mandatory consent training, achieved gender equity on its board, and expanded third-party reporting structures, along with other initiatives.

“As the national governing body for amateur hockey in Canada, Hockey Canada recognizes our role, responsibility and duty to be a leader in delivering a sport that is rooted in safety, inclusiveness and respect,” the statement said.

The case caught the attention of many outside the hockey world as well, with federal secretary of state for sport, Adam van Koeverden, releasing a statement where he called the case a “critical moment” in Canadian sports. He said it sparked a national conversation on the culture of men’s hockey.

“It is the voices of women, and the courage and bravery it takes to come forward, that have led to the changes and toxic culture that we are seeing,” he said. “It’s critical that this work on safe sport continues across the sports system, because we know that when safeguards are weak or absent, real harm occurs.”

• Read the full text of judge's verdict in the Hockey Canada sex assault trial
• Gasps in court as all five players acquitted in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.