An independent appeal panel has determined that five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team, who were cleared of sexual assault charges last year, have violated the Hockey Canada code of conduct.
Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday that it has accepted the panel’s recommendations for continued suspensions and reinstatement timelines for Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod.
The players were acquitted in July 2025 in relation to alleged sexual assault during an incident with a woman identified as “E.M.” at a 2018 Hockey Canada event in London, Ont., celebrating the national junior team’s world championship victory.
The appeal board, consisting of John Laskin, Katherine Swinton, and Thomas McEwen, suggested ongoing suspensions from Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities for four of the players.
The reinstatement dates vary, with McLeod set for eligibility on Nov. 10, 2030. Foote will be eligible on the same date, while Hart and Dube are slated for eligibility in 2027 and 2028, respectively. Formenton is immediately eligible for reinstatement.
Hockey Canada stated that all other members of the 2018 team are now eligible for potential participation in Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.
The suspended players, who had NHL careers prior to the allegations, have been free to sign with NHL teams since Oct. 15 and have been permitted to play since Dec. 1.
Regarding the current whereabouts of the five players, Hart has signed with the Vegas Golden Knights and contributed to their advancement to this year’s Stanley Cup final. Dube joined St. Louis on July 1, while McLeod played for Omsk Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League last season. Foote competed with the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League and recently had a contract with Farjestad BK terminated following criticism of the signing. Formenton has been playing in Switzerland for the past three seasons.
In 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit with the woman outside of court. This led to an audit ordered by Canada’s former sport minister, Pascale St. Onge, to ensure public funds were not used in the settlement, resulting in federal funding to the organization being frozen for nearly a year.
Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s current secretary of sport, acknowledged the findings of the independent appeal board, emphasizing the breach of the Hockey Canada Code of Conduct by all five players. He highlighted the need for accountability and the changes being made to address the toxic culture in men’s hockey.
Van Koeverden noted the progress made by Hockey Canada since 2022 in addressing systemic issues and emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety and well-being in the sport system. He mentioned ongoing monitoring of national sport organizations to ensure a culture of safety, respect, and integrity across all sports.