Hockey Canada players opt for jury trial in sexual assault case
• The five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team who are accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a London hotel months after winning gold have opted for a jury trial, their lawyers say in a statement issued Wednesday.
While no trial date has been set, the five accused have elected to choose a trial by judge and jury rather than judge alone. At this point they are expected to be tried together.
“Earlier this week, all five players selected a trial by jury and they are confident that jurors drawn from the community will decide this case fairly and impartially after hearing all the evidence and testimony,” reads the statement, a copy of which was sent to The London Free Press.
The case is still in the Ontario Court of Justice. Jury trials are conducted in the Superior Court of Justice. That move takes time, which indicates any potential trial is at least several months away.
The accused players are: Alex Formenton: A former star with the London Knights, he was playing in Switzerland before taking a leave to face the charges. A 24-year-old Barrie native. Scored 18 goals in 2021-22 for the Ottawa Senators but did not sign a new contract, a very unusual situation, and left the NHL.
Michael Mcleod: He was in the fifth season of a career with the NHL’S New Jersey Devils when he took a leave last month ahead of the charges. The Mississauga native, 26, has played 287 NHL games and his oneyear contract that pays him US$1.4 million expires this summer.
Cal Foote: The son of a hockey hall of famer, the 25-year-old has been a fringe NHLER and spent the bulk of this season in the minors before taking a leave. He’s played 145 NHL games and is on a one-year contract that pays him between US$350,000 and US$800,000 and the deal expires this summer.
Dillon Dube: The Calgary Flames said they had no knowledge criminal charges were looming when they granted a leave in January to the 25-year-old native of Golden, B.C. After two 18-goal seasons he was on pace to score six this year while playing out the final season of a three-year contract worth US$2.3 million annually.
Carter Hart: The Sherwood Park, Alta., native was the star goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers before taking a leave. He’s in the final season of a three-year contract that pays him US$3.9 million annually.
Lawyers for all five players have publicly declared their innocence, with at least one calling it a “false allegation.”
The scandal erupted in spring 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a $3.5-million lawsuit filed by a young woman, identified as E.M., who alleged she was sexually assaulted on June 18, 2018 in London’s Delta Armouries hotel by eight elite teenage hockey players, including members of Canada’s gold-winning 2018 world junior team. The squad had reunited in London for a Hockey Canada fundraiser. You can read our full coverage of the lawsuit, her allegations and the settlement here.
After the players were charged, London police held an unprecedented press conference during which Chief Thai Truong, among other comments, apologized to the complainant. Asked why he was apologizing, he said: “Because it’s taken this long. They should not have to wait this long.”
ALL FIVE PLAYERS SELECTED A TRIAL BY JURY.