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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For now, the league says the players are currently ineligible.<\/p>\n
NHL Statement: https:\/\/t.co\/pmZcoS81IM<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/mfJ6hHkkZ5<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 John Shannon (@JShannonhl) July 24, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Not Guilty verdicts<\/a> 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,\u00a0Dillon Dube,\u00a0Michael McLeod,\u00a0Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n