The five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team who have been charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault in London, Ont., have pleaded not guilty.
Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote appeared in a London courtroom Tuesday morning for jury selection.
It was the first time that the men have appeared together in court since they were charged 15 months ago. Each is accused of sexually assaulting the same woman in a hotel after a Hockey Canada gala in June, 2018. Mr. McLeod faces a second charge of being a party to sexual assault.
Ever since the case became public three years ago, it has raised tough questions about the country’s beloved game, as well as the actions of its national governing body, Hockey Canada, which TSN revealed had quietly settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit brought forward by the complainant in connection with the alleged 2018 assault.
The ensuing scandal triggered parliamentary hearings and high-profile resignations at Hockey Canada. Ottawa froze federal funding for the sports body and sponsors such as Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire and Bauer withdrew their support.
The scrutiny led police to reopen a previously closed investigation into the events of June 19, 2018. This week, nearly seven years after the alleged sexual assault, the five players will face a jury.
The highly anticipated trial, which is expected to begin Wednesday and last up to eight weeks, could involve current NHL players – men who were part of the 2018 junior team, some of whom are now playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs – being called to the witness box.
On Tuesday, the five accused players arrived to court flanked by family members and their lawyers, appearing clean-shaven and wearing dark suits. The courtroom is among the largest in London. The space – Courtroom 21 – is the same one that was used during the infamous Bandidos biker massacre trial in 2009.
After the players were arraigned, the jury selection process got off to a late start, owing to technical difficulties with the courtroom’s audio. Once it was fixed, Justice Maria Carroccia told court that 14 jurors and two alternates would be selected, although the alternates will be dismissed once the trial starts hearing evidence. Only 12 members would be involved in deliberations over a final verdict. Each will receive $150 a day in compensation.
When court adjourned Tuesday, jury selection was complete, with about three-quarters of the 16 members selected being women.
During the selection process, Justice Carroccia asked each prospective juror a series of questions, including whether they had had any prior experiences with the offence of sexual assault – whether as a victim, as an accused, or relating to someone they knew being accused of the offence – that could affect their ability to be impartial. The potential jurors were also asked if they held any preconceived opinions about hockey players and whether they had seen any coverage of the case in the media.
In 2018, Canada’s junior hockey team won the world championship. That June, Hockey Canada held a fundraising event in London, where the players were honoured. After the gala, many members of the team went out drinking and dancing in downtown London. The alleged sexual assault occurred later that night.
London police closed an initial investigation into the incident without charges in 2019, but the case was reopened in the summer of 2022 after the TSN report on the settlement. The Globe and Mail then reported on the existence of Hockey Canada’s National Equity Fund, which was a pool of money collected in part through registration fees that was being used pay out settlements to sexual-assault complainants. The stories sparked national outrage.
In January, 2024, London police ordered five members of the team to surrender to face charges. At the time, all five men were playing professional hockey. Mr. Dubé was a member of the Calgary Flames, Mr. Hart was with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Mr. McLeod and Mr. Foote were playing for the New Jersey Devils. Mr. Formenton, who had previously been a member of the Ottawa Senators, was playing for the Swiss club, HC Ambri-Piotta.