Former NHL players plead not guilty at sex assault trial

LONDON, Ont. — Five former NHL players each pleaded not guilty in front of a packed courtroom here Tuesday to charges associated with an alleged 2018 sexual assault.

Appearing was Michael McLeod, 27, who has been charged with two counts of sexual assault, including one relating to aiding in the offence, plus Dillon Dube, 26, Cal Foote, 26, Alex Formenton, 25, and Carter Hart, 26, each of whom has been charged with one count of sexual assault.

It marked the first time all five players had appeared together in court.

The lead Crown on the case, Meaghan Cunningham, read a list of potential witnesses to be called during the trial. Among those on the list were several players from the 2018 Canadian world junior team, including current NHLers Cale Makar, Drake Batherson and Robert Thomas.

Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia of Windsor, Ont., the judge who will oversee the trial, ruled Tuesday before jury selection began that the trial would have 12 jurors, plus as many as four alternates because of the expected length of the trial. Seven jurors had been chosen Tuesday before the lunch break.

Carroccia further ruled that jurors would be paid $150 per day for serving on the jury, starting with the first day of the trial. Jurors typically are paid $40 a day starting with the 11th day of a trial, and $100 a day starting with the 50th day of the trial. She further instructed the potential jury members to restrict exposure to media during the trial. They will be able to separate at lunch and other breaks, and can return home at the conclusion of each day in court.

In order for a defendant to be convicted, the jury must come to a unanimous verdict on each charge that guilt has been proved “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

In May 2022, a TSN report revealed that Hockey Canada had settled a civil lawsuit with a woman in London after she alleged she was sexually assaulted by eight men, including members of the 2018 Canadian men’s world junior team, after an event honouring the team in June 2018.

An investigation by the London Police Service was launched in the summer of 2018 and closed in February 2019, with investigators concluding that there was insufficient evidence to lay charges. After widespread scrutiny of Hockey Canada’s handling of the situation, London police reopened its investigation in July 2022, laying charges in January 2024.