Five former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team — Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote and Michael McLeod — were acquitted in July 2025 on sexual assault charges stemming from an encounter at a 2018 Hockey Canada gala in London, Ont.
asserted
members → acquit → London
Since then, the NHL has reinstated all five, allowing them to play beginning Dec. 1, 2025.
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them → reinstate → Dec.
Hockey Canada’s appeal board later ruled all five breached the governing body’s code of conduct and extended its ban from national programs for three of the five.
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five → rule → five
With Formenton recently signing a contract with the Edmonton Oilers, here’s a look at where the five players have landed since the trial ended.
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trial → sign → Oilers
ALEX FORMENTON
The 26-year-old signed a one-year, US$850,000 contract with the Oilers on Sept. 9 after spending three of the previous four seasons in Switzerland with HC Ambri-Piotta and the other out of hockey.
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old → sign → hockey
Formenton was the only player of the five made immediately eligible for reinstatement in Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs after the appeal-board ruling.
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Formenton → make → ruling
His signing triggered a backlash in Edmonton, including an online petition calling on the club to reverse the deal and a protest outside Rogers Arena on Saturday, when the Oilers opened their pre-season schedule against visiting Winnipeg.
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Oilers → trigger → Winnipeg
The Oilers have defended the move, citing Formenton’s acquittal, his reinstatements, and what the team called a “lengthy due diligence process.”
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team → defend → what
The netminder was the first of the five to return to the NHL, signing a two-year, $4-million contract with the Vegas Golden Knights in October 2025.
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netminder → return → October
He returned to action Dec. 2 and helped Vegas reach the 2026 Stanley Cup final with a 12-4 playoff record, a 2.22 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage leading into the title series against Carolina.
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Vegas → return → Carolina
He remains suspended by Hockey Canada until Nov. 10, 2027.
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He → suspend → Nov.
DILLON DUBÉ
The centre became the second of the five players to return to the NHL when he signed a one-year contract worth $850,000 with the St. Louis Blues on July 1.
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he → become → July
Dubé signed the deal after agreeing to a professional tryout with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, in December.
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Dubé → sign → December
He had 20 goals and 17 assists in 46 regular-season games with the Thunder, then added five goals and three assists in 12 playoff contests.
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He → have → contests
He joined the organization after playing for Minsk Dynamo of the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League in 2024-25.
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He → join → 2024
Dubé remains suspended by Hockey Canada until Nov. 10, 2028.
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Dubé → suspend → Nov.
CAL FOOTE
Foote signed an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves in December 2025, where the defenceman had four goals and 14 assists in 48 games.
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defenceman → sign → games
He signed a one-year contract with Swedish club Farjestad BK in July, but the deal was rescinded two days later.
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deal → sign → July
Foote is the next player eligible for reinstatement by Hockey Canada, with his suspension set to end on Nov. 10.
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suspension → set → Nov.
The centre signed a three-year contract with Avangard Omsk of the KHL in October 2025.
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centre → sign → October
McLeod previously split the 2024-25 KHL season between Omsk and Barys Astana.
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McLeod → split → Omsk
He is the only one of the five not to play in North America since the trial ended.
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trial → play → America
Hockey Canada imposed the longest ban on McLeod, making him ineligible for reinstatement until Nov. 10, 2030.
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him → impose → Nov.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2026.
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report → publish → Press
The Aporia
