Five hockey players — four of them in the NHL and one former NHLer now playing in Europe — will appear in court in London, Ont., Monday to face charges they sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel room almost six years ago. They were all members of the 2018 world junior team when the alleged gang rape occurred and the allegation has upended Hockey Canada.
THE BACKGROUND
The scandal erupted in spring 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a $3.5-million lawsuit filed by a young woman, identified as E.M., who alleged she was sexually assaulted on June 18, 2018 in London’s Delta Armouries hotel by eight elite teenage hockey players, including members of Canada’s gold-winning 2018 world junior team. The squad had reunited in London for a Hockey Canada fundraiser.
THE ACCUSED
Their identities were shrouded for years and only became public last week when their lawyers acknowledged they had been charged with sexual assault. All five deny any wrongdoing.
ALEX FOR:MENTON A former star with the London Knights, Formenton was playing in Switzerland before taking a leave to face the charges. A 24-year-old native of Barrie, Ont., Formenton scored 18 goals in 2021-22 for the Ottawa Senators but did not sign a new contract, an unusual situation, and left the NHL.
MICHAEL McLEOD: He was in the fifth season of a career with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils when he took a leave last week ahead of the charges. The Mississauga, Ont., native, who turned 26 Saturday, has played 287 NHL games and his one-year contract that pays him US$1.4 million expires this summer.
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