Players from the team, including Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, have taken a leave of absence from their current clubs in recent days.
Five members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Team have taken a leave of absence from their current clubs in recent days, following reports that five members of the team have been requested to surrender to police to face sexual assault accusations.
NHL players Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames, and former NHL player Alex Formenton, who is now with a team in Europe, have all been granted indefinite leave, with the announcements coming over the last four days.
The Flyers and Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta cited personal reasons for Hart’s and Formenton’s departures; the Swiss club also stated that Formenton has been permitted to return to Canada. The Flames cited Dube’s mental health, while the Devils announced McLeod and Foote were on leave without providing an explanation on Wednesday.
Messages left for all five players’ agents, as well as repeated messages sent to Hart’s lawyer seeking comment, were not responded immediately. The NHL Players’ Association has declined to respond.
London, Ontario, police initiated an inquiry in 2022 after learning that Hockey Canada had settled a complaint with a woman who claimed she was sexually abused by eight members of the gold medal-winning team during a gala. According to the Globe and Mail, five players from that team have been ordered to surrender to police in the city midway between Toronto and Detroit to face sexual assault accusations.
When The Associated Press contacted London Police, a spokeswoman declined to confirm the allegation. “When there is an update to provide, we will share it with media outlets,” Sgt. Sandasha Bough said.
London Police stated Wednesday that they would conduct a news conference on February 5 to provide additional information “in relation to a sexual assault investigation dating back to 2018.”
Earlier in the day, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere began his midseason state-of-the-organization news conference by stating, “We are aware of this morning’s press reports on a very serious matter.” We will respond appropriately once the results of the investigations are made public.
“The NHL has made it clear that teams should direct all investigation-related queries to them. Meanwhile, members of the organisation, including Flyers players, will not say further. That’s all we can say right now, regrettably.”
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