Trigger warning: This story mentions sexual violence. It may cause emotional distress to someone who has experienced sexual violence or knows someone who has. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE). You can also chat with someone 24/7 through the RAINN app, just search “RAINN” in your app store.
Occasionally there’s a news story that transcends one team or another and impacts all of the hockey community. The evolving story surrounding Hockey Canada and its 2018 world junior hockey team is one of those stories.
Earlier today, police in London, Ontario, announced that five professional hockey players, including four who currently have NHL contracts, were arrested and charged with sexual assault. Former Ottawa Senators prospect Alex Formenton, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube and New Jersey Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote have turned themselves in to police. McLeod faces an additional charge.
While this story does not involve players with the San Jose Sharks, it is important to anyone who follows the game of hockey. These five players played on Canada’s 2018 World Junior hockey team. They are accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room in June 2018 after representing Canada at an event. The victim says that much of what happened to her that night was NOT consensual. She says she was intimidated by the players and afraid to leave. The woman filed a police report. Officers initially closed the investigation. It was reopened in 2022 after Hockey Canada settled a civil suit with the woman. Last week, the five players were ordered to turn themselves in to law enforcement.
While this story is of utmost importance to the entire hockey community, Fear the Fin will not be covering it. We are not trying to negate the importance of this story or ignore it. We simply would not do it the justice it deserves.
There is a group of extremely smart, dogged and talented journalists who are following this story. While the Hockey Canada story is front and center, there is sure to be more news as victims come forward to tell their own stories about hockey culture and what they have experienced. Please follow people like The Sports Network’s Rick Westhead, The Athletic’s Katie Strang, Ian Mendes and Dan Robson, and the Globe and Mail’s Robyn Doolittle. They all do the important work of keeping this story in the public eye.
London Police Service Chief Thai Truong begins a news conference saying he will refer to the woman involved in this case as “the victim.”
— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 5, 2024
Truong said police conducted a comprehensive review of the case in 2022 and discovered new evidence that paved the way for police to reopen…
London Police Chief Thai Truong said the renewed investigation into 2018 sexual assault allegations was both a "lengthy" and "complex process." He recognized and thanked the victim for her "courage and strength throughout."
— Katie Strang (@KatieJStrang) February 5, 2024
There are quite a few questions about why the civilian case review committee in London didn't analyze this case. Just FYI, we wrote a story about that in 2022. TLDR: It's because of COVID. https://t.co/6sU0bPAU4P
— Robyn Doolittle (@robyndoolittle) February 5, 2024
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