NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the ongoing police investigation against five former world junior hockey players expected to face charges of sexual assault next week.
The league carried out its own investigation into the allegations, but has yet to release its findings. Bettman said that once the criminal investigation was over the league would respond appropriately.
The five players, identified by their own lawyers and TSN, are Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames, and Alex Formenton, who last played in the NHL for the Ottawa Senators.
“They’re all away from their teams on leave, and they’re all free agents,” said Bettman. Facing questions on whether the league should suspend the players without pay, Bettman said, “I don’t think that is necessary at this stage.”
Last week, the Globe and Mail reported that five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team will face sexual assault charges in connection to an alleged group sexual assault of a woman in a hotel room following a Hockey Canada event in June 2018. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
In 2022, a woman identified as “E.M.” sued Hockey Canada and eight unnamed players from the 2018 world junior team, alleging she was repeatedly assaulted while intoxicated in a London, Ont., hotel room. The lawsuit was settled out of court.
Bettman also refuted any sense among members of the public that the alleged assault reflects hockey culture more broadly.
“This is not typical of NHL players,” he said. “These players weren’t NHL players in the league playing games at the time this alleged incident took place.”
This is a breaking news story. More details to come.
