The aftermath of the July 2025 acquittal of five members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior squad has reshaped the professional landscape for Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote and Michael McLeod. All five were cleared of sexual-assault charges linked to a 2018 Hockey Canada gala in London, Ont., and the NHL reinstated them to play as of Dec. 1, 2025. Since that legal reset, each athlete has signed a new deal, ventured back onto ice, and simultaneously faced lingering suspensions imposed by Hockey Canada.
Contracts and league comebacks
Alex Formenton secured a one-year, US$850,000 contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Sept. 9, 2025. The 26-year-old forward spent three of the previous four seasons with Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta and was out of professional hockey for one year before the Oilers’ offer. His deal marks the first NHL contract awarded to any of the five since the trial, and the Oilers justified the move by pointing to his acquittal and a “lengthy due-diligence process.”
Carter Hart returned to the NHL first, signing a two-year, $4-million contract with the Vegas Golden Knights in Oct. 2025. He made his comeback on Dec. 2, 2025, and posted a 12-4 playoff record, a 2.22 goals-against average and a.924 save percentage, helping Vegas reach the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Dillon Dubé joined the St. Louis Blues on a one-year, $850,000 contract on July 1, 2026. Prior to the deal, he earned a professional tryout with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues’ AHL affiliate, in Dec. 2025. In that stint he notched 20 goals and 17 assists over 46 regular-season games and added five goals and three assists in 12 playoff contests. The centre had spent the 2024-25 season with KHL outfit Minsk Dynamo.
Cal Foote signed an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves in Dec. 2025, tallying four goals and 14 assists across 48 games. Earlier that summer he agreed to a one-year contract with Swedish club Färjestad BK, but the agreement was cancelled just two days later after public outcry.
Michael McLeod opted for the Russian league, signing a three-year contract with KHL club Avangard Omsk in Oct. 2025. He had split the 2024-25 KHL campaign between Omsk and Barys Astana, and remains the only member of the group playing exclusively outside North America since the trial.
Hockey Canada suspensions and reinstatement timeline
The governing body’s appeal board upheld a code-of-conduct breach for all five players, extending bans for three of them. Formenton was the sole athlete deemed immediately eligible for reinstatement to Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs, a factor cited by Edmonton’s management during contract negotiations. Carter Hart remains suspended until Nov. 10, 2027, while Dillon Dubé’s ban runs through Nov. 10, 2028. Cal Foote is slated for reinstatement on Nov. 10 (year not specified), making him the next eligible player. Michael McLeod received the longest prohibition, staying barred until Nov. 10, 2030.
Fan and community reaction
Formenton’s Oilers signing ignited a wave of protest. An online petition amassed roughly 65,000 signatures demanding the deal be reversed, and demonstrators gathered outside Rogers Arena on the night of the Oilers’ preseason opener against Winnipeg. Oilers General Manager Stan Bowman acknowledged the polarising nature of the move, stating the organization “spent as much time as we did going through the details… and our due-diligence process” before finalising the contract. He added that Formenton had shown personal growth since the incident and that the team would judge him on his future conduct.
Across the league, reactions were mixed. While Vegas and St. Louis embraced Hart and Dubé without major public dissent, Foote’s brief Swedish contract was rescinded after fans voiced concerns, illustrating the lingering sensitivity surrounding the scandal. Meanwhile, McLeod’s KHL engagement attracted little North-American attention, perhaps reflecting both his geographical distance and the extended length of his Hockey Canada ban.
Their varied paths—NHL returns, AHL assignments, and KHL contracts—coexist with ongoing suspensions and community debate, underscoring the complex intersection of sport, justice, and fan expectations.
