It's been one year since the five members of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were acquitted. Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Michael McLeod, and Cal Foote all pleaded not guilty, and Superior Court Judge Maria Carroccia delivered the verdict that they were not guilty and ultimately acquitted them.
Since then, on Sept. 11, those five members of Canada's 2018 World Junior Championship team were reinstated with the opportunity to play in the NHL, following a suspension that was served until Dec. 1.
After all this time, going through the trial, their reinstatement and being cleared to play in the NHL again, where are those five players now?
CARTER HART
Hart has easily been in the biggest spotlight coming out of the trial. That's because he was arguably the most important player of the bunch, a starting goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers before his leave of absence from the team related to the trial.
He's also the only player who has made an impact in the NHL since the players have been reinstated.
In his first season back in the NHL, he was signed to a two-year contract by the Vegas Golden Knights at $2 million per season. He played 18 regular-season games, posting a .891 save percentage and a 2,71 goals-against average.
However, he made a statement in the post-season, helping Vegas advance to the Stanley Cup final against the Carolina Hurricanes, where the team ultimately fell short in a six-game series.
Nonetheless, he registered a .909 SP and a 2.56 SP in 22 playoff starts. Before the Cup final, Hart was at a .924 SP and a 2.22 GAA and was performing as one of the best netminders of the post-season.
DILLON DUBE
Not long after the suspension for the reinstated players expired, Dube earned an opportunity with the St. Louis Blues' organization. He joined the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds on a professional tryout.
He played 46 games for the Blues' American League affiliate, scoring 20 goals and 37 points. Dube also notched five goals and eight points in 12 Calder Cup playoff contests.
After spending this past year in the minors, the Blues signed him to a one-year NHL contract on July 1, paying him $850,000 against the salary cap.
This is his first NHL deal since his three-year agreement with the Calgary Flames at $2.3 million per season. Dube, 28, played 325 games with the Flames before his absence.
MICHAEL MCLEOD
In the Hockey Canada sexual assault case, McLeod was given an extra charge for being party to the offense. In terms of his life on the ice, McLeod has no affiliation with any team in the NHL at the moment.
He's spent the past two seasons in the KHL, splitting time between Omsk and Nur-Sultan. This past year, he scored 22 goals and 48 points in 55 appearances for Omsk in the regular season. That effort was followed by 17 playoff games with one goal and 11 points.
He's set to remain with Omsk for 2026-27.
In his NHL career, the 28-year-old has played 287 games, scoring 29 goals and 85 points for the New Jersey Devils as a 12th overall pick by the organization in 2016.
ALEX FORMENTON
Even before leaving for the sexual assault case, Formenton was already out of the NHL and competing in the Swiss National League with Ambri-Piotta.
He's coming off his third season with the team, where he scored 13 goals and 23 points across 42 contests.
The last time Formenton featured in the NHL was in 2021-22 with the Ottawa Senators, who drafted him 47th overall in 2017. He ended that campaign with 18 goals and 32 points in 79 regular-season games.
CAL FOOTE
On the day that the suspension was lifted for these five players, Cal Foote signed an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves, the affiliate of the Hurricanes.
The Wolves had a successful campaign in the American League, advancing to the Calder Cup final against the Toronto Marlies. In the end, the Marlies took home the trophy.
As for Foote's performance this past year, the defenseman scored four goals and 18 points in 48 games. In the playoffs, he featured in 21 outings, wrapping up the post-season with three goals and 11 points.
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