Five Former Hockey Canada Players Acquitted of Sexual Assault in High-Profile 2018 Case

On July 24, 2025, Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia delivered a verdict acquitting five former members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Hockey team—Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote—of all charges related to an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in London, Ontario in June 2018.

Key Case Facts & Legal Proceedings

• The charges stemmed from an alleged encounter at the Delta Hotel in London in the early hours of June 19, 2018, after the team celebrated their World Juniors championship victory.
• All five denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty. McLeod faced an additional count of being a party to the offense—a charge more commonly seen in murder cases—and was also acquitted.
• The trial began with a jury in April 2025, but two juries were dismissed due to issues—one mistrial and one dismissed for allegations of bias—before Justice Carroccia proceeded with a judge-alone trial.

Why the Acquittal?

Justice Carroccia concluded that the complainant’s testimony—known only as E.M. due to a publication ban—was not credible or reliable, and that the Crown failed to prove lack of consent beyond a reasonable doubt. She highlighted:

• Numerous inconsistencies in E.M.’s statements over time.
• Discrepancies between her claimed level of intoxication and surveillance video alongside witness testimony.
• Statements from E.M. indicating she went to “great lengths” to emphasize her drunkenness, which were not corroborated.
• A tendency noted by the judge for the complainant to shift blame for these inconsistencies onto others.

Reactions & Next Steps

• The complainant’s legal counsel expressed profound disappointment, with her lawyer stating she had “never experienced not being believed like this before”.
• The Crown prosecutor said they will “carefully review” the decision and consider an appeal within the 30-day window.
• The NHL affirmed the players remain ineligible to play while it reviews the judge’s findings, calling the alleged behavior “disturbing” despite the acquittal. The NHL Players’ Association argued the players should have their eligibility restored, citing inconsistency with collective bargaining protocols.
• Hockey Canada continues to suspend the players from its programming, and other sanctions from an independent adjudicative panel regarding breaches of code of conduct remain under appeal and confidential. Canada

Broader Context & Impacts

• The case emerged amid broader scrutiny of Hockey Canada, triggered in part by revelations that player-registration fees were used to fund a private settlement in 2022—leading to sponsorship losses and resignations among organizational leadership.
• The lengthy legal saga—spanning years of rumour, parliamentary hearings, reopened investigations, and public protests—has raised heated debate over athlete accountability, institutional transparency, and the Canadian justice system’s handling of sexual assault allegations.

Summary Table

In sum, the court ruled the prosecution did not meet its evidentiary burden in establishing non‑consent, resulting in full acquittal across all charges.

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