While certain pundits around the NHL suggest that there are teams around the league that would have “interest” in signing one of the five acquitted former players from the Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal, and NHL team names have been bandied about, there’s still the little matter of what the National Hockey League has to say about the players’ potential return. 

For now, the league says the players are currently ineligible.

NHL Statement: https://t.co/pmZcoS81IM pic.twitter.com/mfJ6hHkkZ5

— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) July 24, 2025

Not Guilty verdicts or not, the NHL is doing its own review of the court proceedings and the Judge’s statements before making a decision on the fates of Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton. 

The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behaviour at issue was unacceptable. We will be reviewing and considering the judge’s findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league.

So any interested teams need to cool their jets for the time being, until the NHL determines if they are interested in having these players rejoin the league. 

The NHLPA, however, begs to differ. They argue that the league should not be keeping the Hockey Canada Five out of the NHL.

“The NHL’s declaration that the Players are ‘ineligible’ to play pending its further analysis of the Court’s findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.

“After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work.

“We are addressing this dispute with the League.”

Chris Johnston & Michael Russo in The Athletic suggest that “there are certainly NHL executives with interest in signing some of the players.”

The most intriguing case will belong to Hart, a legit No. 1 goalie at times while with the Philadelphia Flyers. There are plenty of teams in need between the pipes. Hart has not played in a professional league since his leave from the Flyers in the middle of the 2023-24 season. 

McLeod and Dubé spent last season playing in the KHL. Foote won’t be much in demand at all, and Formenton has been playing overseas since his last NHL action in the 2021-2022 season.Â