NHL Players Become Free Agents After Assault Charges

Four NHL players, Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, Michael McLeod, and Cal Foote, who were charged with sexual assault stemming from a 2018 incident, have become unrestricted free agents after their respective teams chose not to re-sign them before the Sunday deadline. The charges relate to an alleged group sexual assault of a woman in a London, Ontario hotel room following a Hockey Canada gala. All players have pleaded not guilty and a trial date has yet to be set. The case first came to light when the victim filed a civil suit in 2022, which was settled by Hockey Canada and led to the reopening of the police investigation. Alex Formenton, also implicated, continues to play in Switzerland. Their future in the NHL remains uncertain due to the ongoing legal proceedings.