4 NHL players have been accused of rape in a 2018 case in Canada, their legal counselors say

Feb 18, 2024

NHL players Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Villains and Dillon Dube of the Calgary Blazes have been accused of rape regarding a supposed attack by a few individuals from Canada’s 2018 world junior group.

Lawyers addressing Hart, McLeod, Foote and Dube said Tuesday that every player has been accused of rape by police in London, Ontario. They kept any bad behavior for benefit from getting their clients.

Hart’s legal counselors, Megan Savard and Riaz Sayani, said their client is confronting one count of rape, adding, “He is guiltless and will give a full reaction to this fraudulent complaint in the legitimate gathering, an official courtroom.”

“(We) will energetically protect the case,” McLeod’s lawyers, David Humphrey and Seth Weinstein, said in a proclamation. “We ask that the public regard Mr. McLeod’s protection, and his family’s security. Since the matter is presently under the steady gaze of the court, we won’t remark further right now.”

Dube’s attorneys, Louis Strezos and Kayleigh Davidson, said their client “keeps up with his guiltlessness (and) will shield the claims in court.”

Foote’s legal advisor, Julianna Greenspan, said her client was “guiltless of the charge and will shield himself against this claim to demonstrate his innocence.”

What is generally basic as of now is the assumption of honesty, and the right to a fair preliminary that everybody in Canada is qualified for,” Greenspan said in a proclamation messaged to The Related Press. “As the matter is under the watchful eye of the court, I ask that Cal’s and his family’s protection be regarded.”

A Fiends representative said the association knows about the reports and have been told to allude all requests to the association. A Flyers representative repeated a comparable feeling, saying the group “will answer properly to this intense matter when the results of the examinations are disclosed.

We have now become mindful of the charge of rape that has been rested against Dillon Dube,” the Blazes said in an explanation. “We treat this matter extremely in a serious way. Since the matter is presently forthcoming official procedures, we will have no further remark right now.”

The NHL was not supposed to address what is happening Tuesday. Magistrate Gary Bettman is set to talk at the association’s forthcoming Elite player End of the week.

The most recent improvements for the situation come two days after previous NHL player Alex Formenton gave up to police to have to deal with penalties. Lawyer Daniel Brown said Formenton is guiltless “and requests that individuals not hurry to judgment without hearing all from the proof.”

Each of the five players have withdrawn from their ongoing clubs throughout recent days. Their representatives have not spoken openly since.

London police have booked a news gathering for Monday to address what is going on. A representative for police told the AP by email no reports on the examination will be given before the news meeting.

London police sent off their examination in 2022 after it was uncovered that Hockey Canada had settled a claim with a lady who said she was physically attacked by eight individuals from that gold decoration winning group after a Hockey Canada Establishment raising support function. London is around somewhere between Toronto and Detroit.

As indicated by court records, the lady, then 20, claimed that a man, distinguished exclusively as “John Doe #1,” took her from a bar to a lodging and welcomed seven others into the space to perform undisclosed sexual demonstrations, scaring her and keeping her from leaving. The lady said in the claim the men guided her to clean up and requested that she say on video that she was clearheaded.

The lady looked for $3.55 million in punitive fees and dropped the claim subsequent to arriving at a settlement with Hockey Canada.

The NHL opened its own examination in 2022 and has vowed to unveil those discoveries. Representative Magistrate Bill Daly last week said the association would give an assertion if and when it is fitting.

The Flyers said Hart mentioned and was conceded a time away for individual reasons. Senior supervisor Daniel Briere declined to give subtleties when asked follow-up inquiries connected with the 25-year-old No. 1 goaltender’s takeoff.

The Villains didn’t give an explanation while reporting McLeod and Foote were conceded endless extended vacations. McLeod, who turns 26 on Saturday, is in his fourth full season with the group, while Foote — child of previous NHL player Adam Foote — has spent quite a bit of this season in the American Hockey Association and showed up in four games for New Jersey.

The Blazes said Dube was on endless leave to keep an eye on his emotional wellness. As a feature of their assertion Tuesday, they said they “had no information on forthcoming charges at the time Dillon’s solicitation for a time away was conceded.

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