NHL Clears Players Acquitted of Assault Charges for 2025-26 Return

The National Hockey League announced on Thursday that five players, recently acquitted of sexual assault charges, will be eligible to resume their careers during the 2025-26 season. This decision allows Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Cal Foote, and Michael McLeod to become unrestricted free agents, able to sign with any team. These contracts can be registered with the NHL starting October 15th. The players may begin conditioning on November 15th and are eligible to play in games starting December 1st.

Alex Formenton, the fifth player, is a restricted free agent still on the Ottawa Senators' reserve list. To be eligible for NHL games in the 2025-26 season, he would need to reach an agreement with the team by December 1st. However, Formenton recently signed with the Swiss team Ambri-Piotta, making his playing status uncertain.

All five players were members of Canada's 2018 World Junior hockey team and were charged with sexual assault related to an incident at a London, Ontario hotel in June 2018. Following a mistrial and two dismissed juries, Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia of the Ontario Court of Justice stated on July 24th that she found the complainant's evidence "not credible or reliable." She concluded that the Crown could not meet its burden of proof.

The NHL initially announced the players would remain ineligible. However, under the collective bargaining agreement, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has the authority to penalize players for off-ice conduct deemed detrimental to the league. The league's statement on Thursday indicated that the players' conduct fell short of the league's standards. The statement also noted that the players expressed regret and remorse following meetings with the league.

The league expects the players to uphold the standards required of NHL players both on and off the ice. The NHLPA, which had previously disagreed with the NHL's actions, issued a conciliatory statement on Thursday. The union stated that a resolution was reached to avoid further delays and that they now consider the matter closed.

The four players, excluding Formenton, were active NHL players who did not receive qualifying offers in June 2024, making them free agents. Dube, 27, played for the Calgary Flames, while Foote, 26, and McLeod, 27, last played for the New Jersey Devils. Hart, 27, was the starting goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers.