Legal professionals: Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote charged with sexual assault

4 NHL gamers had been charged with sexual assault in London, Ontario, on Tuesday, their respective authorized groups confirmed to ESPN.

Legal professionals for Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, Calgary Flames ahead Dillon Dube, and New Jersey Devils middle Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote, all members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Championships staff, addressed the state of affairs later Tuesday. All 4 gamers had beforehand been granted leaves of absence from their NHL groups.

Talking for Hart, Megan Savard and Riaz Sayani, from Savard Foy LLP in Toronto, emailed ESPN to “affirm he has been charged with one rely of sexual assault. He’s harmless and can present a full response to this false allegation within the correct discussion board, a court docket of regulation.”

In one other correspondence with ESPN, McLeod’s legal professionals — David Humphrey and Seth Weinstein of Greenspan Humphrey Weinstein LLP in Toronto — added that “McLeod denies any prison wrongdoing. He can be pleading not responsible and can vigorously defend the case. Not one of the proof has been introduced, not to mention examined in court docket.”

Julianna Greenspan of Greenspan Companions LLP in Toronto, the illustration for Foote, later emailed ESPN saying “Cal is harmless of the cost and can defend himself towards this allegation to clear his title. What’s most crucial at the moment is the presumption of innocence, and the fitting to a good trial that everybody in Canada is entitled to.”

And at last, in a Tuesday evening assertion to ESPN, Louis P. Strezos and Kaleigh Davidson, Dube’s illustration, stated “he’ll plead not responsible and maintains his innocence. He’ll defend the allegations in court docket.”

Former NHL participant Alex Formenton, who was taking part in professionally in Switzerland, turned himself in to London Police on Sunday. Formenton’s lawyer declined to state the precise prices his consumer was dealing with however stated in an announcement: “Alex will vigorously defend his innocence and asks that individuals not rush to judgment with out listening to the entire proof.”

London Police has scheduled a information convention for Monday to deal with the state of affairs.

The police division launched an investigation in 2022 after TSN reported that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit with a lady who stated she was sexually assaulted by eight members of that staff after a gala celebrating their gold medal win on the World Junior Championship. That incident allegedly occurred in 2018.

The Globe and Mail was first to report on the pending prices final week, which prompted the gamers to step away from their groups. The 4 NHL gamers have been on paid go away, in accordance with sources. Nevertheless, league sources stated the gamers’ statuses with their respective groups will seemingly change if prices are pressed — they might face suspension, by their groups or by the NHL, see their contracts terminated, or find yourself on a commissioner’s exempt checklist. The gamers are all 25 years outdated.

The Flames, in an announcement later Tuesday evening, stated they did not know concerning the pending sexual assault cost towards Dube after they granted his request for a go away of absence on Jan. 21. The membership beforehand stated Dube was tending to his psychological well being.

Sources instructed ESPN that a few of the gamers had been directed by their legal professionals to not inform their NHL groups any particulars concerning the potential prices.

Flyers normal supervisor Danny Briere instructed reporters final week that he wasn’t certain what was going to occur with Hart.

“We’re conscious of this morning’s press reviews on a really severe matter. We’ll reply appropriately when the outcomes of the investigations are made public,” Briere stated. “The NHL has been very clear that groups ought to refer all investigation-related inquiries to them. Within the meantime, members of the group, together with Flyers gamers, is not going to be commenting any additional.”

The NHL accomplished its personal investigation of the incident however has not made the outcomes public. NHL deputy commissioner Invoice Daly stated Tuesday the league wouldn’t be commenting at the moment.