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5d ago

Trial Begins for Five Former Canadian Junior Hockey Players Accused of Sexual Assault

The accused, all former NHL players, pleaded not guilty as jury selection concluded in the high-profile case tied to a 2018 incident in London, Ontario.

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Former NHL players Carter Hart, Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, Alex Formenton and Michael McLeod, accused in a sexual assault following the World Junior Hockey Championships in 2018, arrive at the Court House in London, Ontario on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
Former NHL player Michael McLeod, accused in a sexual assault following the World Junior Hockey Championships in 2018, arrives at the Court House in London, Ontario on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. The Globe and Mail/ Geoff Robins
Former world junior hockey team player Michael McLeod, charged with sexual assault early last year in an incident in June, 2018, arrives at the courthouse in London, Ont., on April 22.

Overview

  • Five former members of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team, including Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton, face charges related to an alleged group sexual assault after a Hockey Canada gala in June 2018.
  • McLeod faces an additional charge of being a party to sexual assault, while all five players entered not guilty pleas during their first court appearance on April 22, 2025.
  • Jury selection for the trial, which is expected to last up to eight weeks, concluded with 14 jurors and two alternates, a majority of whom are women.
  • The trial follows public outrage over Hockey Canada's use of registration fees to settle sexual assault claims, which led to leadership resignations and funding suspensions in 2022.
  • The case has reignited scrutiny of Canadian hockey's handling of sexual misconduct and the broader culture within the sport.