All Five Players Found Not Guilty

Written By Madison Adams

By the end of the day in Thursday, July 24, 2025, the Ontario Judge presiding over the sexual assault case involving five hockey players delivered the verdict "not guilty" to all five men.

The sexual assault had claimed to happen back in June of 2018, in a hotel room in London, Ontario. The five hockey players, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote, had been in London for a golf tournament and gala to celebrate them winning the Canada's World Juniors Championship.

The initial case was closed in 2019. Then re-opened in 2022 with a lawsuit from the complainant, which that Hockey Canada had settled, which then triggering a police investigation.

Fast forward to July 24th, 2025, where the judge had concluded that all five men were found not guilty. The judge stated that there was lack of creditable evidence, as well as failure to prove the case beyond reasonable doubts.

Once the verdict was finalized, the NHL send out a statement stating that until their review is completed, the players will still be ineligible to play in the league.

Prior to the investigation, all five men had or was currently playing the the National Hockey League. McLeod and Foote played for the New Jersey Devils. Dube played for the Calgary Flames. Hart for the Philadelphia Flyers. Formenton played for the Ottawa Senator until 2022 and then played for a Switzerland team.