NHL players accused of sexual harassment are banned from teams

Four NHL players accused of sexual assault in an incident during their time as World Junior Champions have not been re-signed to their respective teams.

Dillion Dube, formerly of the Calgary Flames, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, and Carter Heart of the Philadelphia Flyers were all placed on paid leave and will become free agents after the signing deadline on Sunday.

Former Ottawa Senators player Alex Formenton is also alleged to have been involved in the sexual assault of a woman after a Junior World Championship gala in London, Ontario in 2018. Formenton remained on leave from the Swiss club Ambri-Piotta until Tuesday.

All five players have pleaded not guilty to the charges filed in January and are not expected to appear in court until early September during pretrial motions, when lawyers will argue over what evidence should be presented when the case goes before Justice Bruce Thomas of Ontario Superior Court.

They are all accused of sexual abuse. McLeod is also accused of complicity.

A trial date has not yet been set. All players have requested a jury trial.

In February, London, Ontario Police Chief Thai Truong apologized to the alleged victim because it took six years for the five hockey players to be charged with sexual assault.

The case first came to light after TSN reported that a civil lawsuit between the victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, and the victim had been settled.

Court documents later revealed that she had been drinking with players at Jack’s Bar in central London and then returned to the Delta Hotel to have consensual sex with a player. She said she was later sexually assaulted when several players entered the room.