NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly anticipates a forthcoming decision regarding the status of five former Hockey Canada players who were recently acquitted in a prominent sexual assault case. The players, namely Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Callan Foote, were cleared of all charges on July 24 in London, Ont. The verdict, issued more than seven years after the incident in a hotel room, marked the conclusion of a complex trial that gripped national attention and reignited discussions on consent and hockey culture.
Subsequent to the ruling, the NHL announced that the players remain ineligible to participate in the league pending a review of the case findings. This announcement was met with criticism from the NHL Players’ Association, while Hockey Canada confirmed that the athletes are still barred from engaging in any sanctioned activities.
During a media tour at the NHL/NHLPA event in Las Vegas, Daly refrained from providing a specific update but indicated that a decision is expected in the near future. He emphasized the NHL’s earnest approach to the matter and reiterated that the review process is ongoing.
The case revolved around an incident that occurred in the early hours of June 19, 2018, when several members of the 2018 world junior hockey team were in London celebrating their gold medal win. The players were formally charged in February 2024.
Hart, a standout goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers, has not played since the 2023-24 season. McLeod and Foote were affiliated with the New Jersey Devils, while Dubé played as a center for the Calgary Flames and Formenton as a winger for the Ottawa Senators. McLeod has been competing in the KHL for the past two seasons, with Dubé and Foote participating in the 2024-25 season. Formenton, who was reported as retired, recently signed with Switzerland’s top league after previous stints there in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Regarding the upcoming 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, Daly discussed the ongoing arena construction and the NHL’s return to the Games after a 12-year absence. He mentioned that progress is being made on the arena, with the organizing committee slated to access the facility by the end of the next month. Additionally, a test event is scheduled for December, focusing more on hockey-related activities than fan engagement.
Daly also confirmed that the NHL will conduct another decentralized draft following the previous one in June. Although the initial draft faced criticism for its lengthy first round, Daly stated that teams were generally content with the process and indicated that adjustments would be made for future drafts.
As part of the new collective bargaining agreement, dress-code regulations for players will be relaxed. Daly noted that this change was more beneficial for select teams than the league as a whole, with fitness testing at NHL training camps to be discontinued after the 2025-26 season.