TW: SA -- 5 NHL players take leaves of absence amid investig

[redheadbaker]

www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/39378695/five-nhl-players-leave-amid-sexual-assault-inquiry

Five players from Canada's 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their current clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges.

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 playing in Europe, all have been granted indefinite leave, with the absences announced in the past four days.

...

Police in London, Ontario, launched an investigation in 2022 after word emerged that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit with a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by eight members of that team at a gala. The Globe & Mail reported Wednesday that five players from that team were asked to surrender to police, in the city halfway between Toronto and Detroit, to face charges of sexual assault.

[Velar Fricative]

I honestly did not know about the actual details re: the Hockey Canada scandal when it first broke, but the details are making me sick. Fuck these guys.

My money's on the guy who was playing in Europe being the ringleader. I bet the NHL team that drafted him (Ottawa) knew something was up and that's why he ended up playing in Europe. I really want to know how much the NHL knew.

[erbear]

This is so disappointing to me. Carter Hart has always been one of my favorites and to find out that he's involved in this is so disheartening.

[kath16]

The absolute hush hush of the entire NHL and all the teams makes me think it’s bad and that they are likely guilty AF.

Like, no one is saying ANYTHING to the point that it’s unusual.

[redheadbaker]

Jan 25, 2024 15:09:09 GMT -5 erbear said:

This is so disappointing to me. Carter Hart has always been one of my favorites and to find out that he's involved in this is so disheartening.

Yeah, I have his jersey, and we met him at a fundraiser. It's really disappointing.

[pixy0stix]

JFC. Fuck disappointing. This is disgusting. Fuck these guys.

[suzyp]

Jan 25, 2024 16:08:43 GMT -5 kath16 said:

The absolute hush hush of the entire NHL and all the teams makes me think it’s bad and that they are likely guilty AF.

Like, no one is saying ANYTHING to the point that it’s unusual.

It's disgusting. I was convinced nothing would happen on the criminal side - happy to see it appears to be moving towards some consequences.

[loira]

Jan 25, 2024 16:08:43 GMT -5 kath16 said:

The absolute hush hush of the entire NHL and all the teams makes me think it’s bad and that they are likely guilty AF.

Like, no one is saying ANYTHING to the point that it’s unusual.

So disappointing. It's important to know that in Canada it's not the victim who presses charges. It's the Crown that essentially "presses charges". So it looks like the Crown just sat on this for far longer than it should have.

[Velar Fricative]

This is a detailed deadline but it only goes up to summer 2022. I believe beyond summer 2022, London police were continuing the investigation and now we are at this current point.

www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/a-timeline-of-hockey-canadas-handling-of-2018-sexual-assault-allegation/sn-amp/

[CrazyLucky]

Jan 29, 2024 7:03:30 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

This is a detailed deadline but it only goes up to summer 2022. I believe beyond summer 2022, London police were continuing the investigation and now we are at this current point.

www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/a-timeline-of-hockey-canadas-handling-of-2018-sexual-assault-allegation/sn-amp/

This is so infuriating.  When the first investigation happened and everything was fresh in people's minds, the players and coaches were only "strongly encouraged" to cooperate.  Now that their BS has come to light, five plus years later, they're being required to cooperate.  Why aren't they al already in mandatory sexual violence and consent training?  Why is Scott Smith being given the opportunity to resign or not?  They need to fire everyone and start over.

[lolalolalola]

Looks like they have been officially charged. What pisses me off is that Dube went on mental health leave. Did the flames not know? It’s egregious to me that he used mental health as the reason for his leave.

ETA. DH was reading there won’t be a trial until 2026. What happens in the meantime. Will they be allowed to play?

[redheadbaker]

Jan 30, 2024 17:45:40 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

ETA. DH was reading there won’t be a trial until 2026. What happens in the meantime. Will they be allowed to play?

Where did he see that? 

[lolalolalola]

Jan 30, 2024 20:09:05 GMT -5 redheadbaker said:

Jan 30, 2024 17:45:40 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

ETA. DH was reading there won’t be a trial until 2026. What happens in the meantime. Will they be allowed to play?

Where did he see that? 

I just asked him and he actually heard it on TSN, was just opinion. I found a quote.

From Westhead on TSN:

“Because of the backlog in Ontario’s court system, it’s unlikely that this case will actually get to trial before 2026.”

- Rick Westhead

[pinkdutchtulips]

Jan 30, 2024 17:45:40 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

Looks like they have been officially charged. What pisses me off is that Dube went on mental health leave. Did the flames not know? It’s egregious to me that he used mental health as the reason for his leave.

ETA. DH was reading there won’t be a trial until 2026. What happens in the meantime. Will they be allowed to play?

It's my understanding that once everyone is formally charged, their leaves of absence will turn into either suspensions w/o pay or their contracts will be termination by their organization. 

Their playing days are OVER for this season and possibly future ones. 

[heygrey]

www.ctvnews.ca/sports/world-junior-hockey-players-sex-assault-case-to-be-before-london-court-on-monday-1.6751871

The case will be before the court on Monday.