Updated September 11, 2025 @ 5:57pm
The five players acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial can return to the NHL when their suspensions end "no sooner" than Dec. 1, the NHL announced Thursday.
The players, who are all unrestricted free agents, can sign with a team on Oct. 15 as they wait for full reinstatement.
Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton and Carter Hart were all charged with one count of sexual assault stemming from an encounter with a woman after a 2018 gala celebrating the world junior team's gold medal. All five pleaded not guilty when the trial opened in April.
MacLeod had also been charged with one count of being a party to the offences.
The five players were acquitted of all charges on July 24 after a two-month trial in London, Ont.
Following the ruling, the NHL had said the players would be ineligible to compete and that the league would review the judge's findings.
The NHL said the trial findings and its own investigation showed the players’ conduct fell "woefully short of the standards and values that the league and its member clubs expect and demand."
Still, the league has now given the players a clear path toward reinstatement.
"Each of the players, based on in-person meetings with the League following the verdicts, expressed regret and remorse for his actions," the NHL said in a release. "Nevertheless, we believe their conduct requires formal league-imposed discipline."
"Given their conduct, we carefully evaluated the players’ acquittal in court and the time spent away from the game. Taking into account that the players have been away from the game for 20 months -- including since their acquittals in July -- we have determined that the players will be eligible to sign an NHL contract no sooner than October 15, 2025, and eligible to play in NHL games no sooner than December 1, 2025, bringing their total time out of the league to nearly two years."
The NHL Players’ Association criticized the league's decision to keep the suspensions in place after the acquittals, but said in a statement Thursday it was pleased the punishment is nearing an end.
"We are pleased that Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod will have the opportunity to resume their NHL careers," the NHLPA said. "The players cooperated with every investigation.
"Upon their full acquittal by Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia, we initiated discussions with the NHL regarding the players’ return to work. To avoid a protracted dispute that would cause further delay, we reached the resolution that the league announced today."
McLeod, Hart, Dubé and Foote were active NHL players at the time of their 2024 arrests, which came days after all four players were granted leave from their clubs.
Formenton, an Ottawa Senators draft pick, has not played in the NHL since 2022. Last week, he signed with Swiss club Ambrì-Piotta.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2025.
