Two Devils among 5 NHLers on leave amid sexual assault probe

Two Devils are among five pro hockey players on leave from their teams as players on the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team are facing charges of sexual assault, according to The Globe and Mail.

They have been told to surrender to police in London, Ontario, to face charges, according to the report.

While the players haven’t been named, five players on that 2018 team — the Devils’ Michael McLeod and Cal Foote, the Flyers’ Carter Hart, the Flames’ Dillon Dube and ex-Senators forward Alex Formenton, who now plays with Swiss club Ambri Piotta — were granted indefinite leaves from their teams in the past four days.

London police said in a release they plan to hold a press conference on Feb. 5 to “share further details.”

There is no statute of limitations on sexual assault in Canada.

It relates to an alleged incident following a Hockey Canada fundraising gala in June 2018, when the accused players were recognized for winning the World Junior Championships.

The group of players is accused of a group sexual assault.

Over a year ago, the London police filed an application with the Ontario Court of Justice to take investigative measures, claiming they had reasonable grounds to believe five members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team had sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel room.

An initial investigation did not result in charges and was closed in February 2019.

In April 2022, a woman reportedly identified as E.M. filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and eight unnamed players, seeking $3.55 million in damages.

She alleged that she met some of the players at a bar following the gala and went back to a hotel in the London area, where they engaged in consensual sexual acts.

But she claims that seven other members then entered the room, and she was subjected to sexual assault.

E.M. said that she was “directed, manipulated and intimidated” into remaining in the room despite fearing of physical harm, crying and attempting to leave.

The story gained national attention and a firestorm erupted when, about a month after the lawsuit was filed in April 2022, Hockey Canada quietly settled the lawsuit, TSN reported at the time.

London police reopened the investigation about a year and a half ago.