Sexual assault case against 2018 Canada world junior players nears a verdict

[LuvthaBlues]

Alex Formenton acquitted

[LuvthaBlues]

Cal Foote acquitted of sexual assault

[STL fan in MN]

Is there anyone that blues could use?

Honestly, all of the players involved were useful NHL'ers.

Dube was coming off a 45 point season for Calgary
McCleod was finally emerging as a 20+ point center with a power game
Hart was starting to realize his potential as a starting goalie
Formenton was coming off a 30 point season for Ottawa
Foote probably the "worst" of the bunch, but still a 6'4" viable #7/8 RHD isn't nothing.

Dube was easily the best of the bunch, but I don't know that I'd take the gamble on any of them given the circumstances(maybe Dube if he'd take a League minimum deal; but having him and Mailloux on the same team is a bit much).

Not to mention they have all had a year out of the league and lets be honest this will have clearly impacted them.

I suspect you will see a couple of them in a few years if they put strong seasons together overseas and demonstrate good character.

While what happened wasnt illegal, it has been very well documented, and its not the sort of behaviour teams would rush to embrace.

In a few years there will be the "learned from mistakes" "matured" "deserves a second chance" if they keep their nose clean and play good hockey.

They arent the first pro athletes to do this sort of thing, but rightly or wrongly, it being in the public domain does matter. Again they didnt do anything illegal, but that doesnt mean teams will rush to be associated with them.

Exactly. Looks like they’ll all be found not guilty but not guilty doesn’t always equal completely innocent, especially in the court of public opinion. The crown may not have proven their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt here but enough details are out there that it’s pretty clear stuff happened in that room pretty much no NHL team would want to be associated with.

[LuvthaBlues]

Dillon Dubé acquitted of sexual assault

[LuvthaBlues]

Michael McLeod not guilty of sexual assault.

It's official, all five players found not guilty.

[Walter Sobchak00]

Is there anyone that blues could use?

Honestly, all of the players involved were useful NHL'ers.

Dube was coming off a 45 point season for Calgary
McCleod was finally emerging as a 20+ point center with a power game
Hart was starting to realize his potential as a starting goalie
Formenton was coming off a 30 point season for Ottawa
Foote probably the "worst" of the bunch, but still a 6'4" viable #7/8 RHD isn't nothing.

Dube was easily the best of the bunch, but I don't know that I'd take the gamble on any of them given the circumstances(maybe Dube if he'd take a League minimum deal; but having him and Mailloux on the same team is a bit much).

Not to mention they have all had a year out of the league and lets be honest this will have clearly impacted them.

I suspect you will see a couple of them in a few years if they put strong seasons together overseas and demonstrate good character.

While what happened wasnt illegal, it has been very well documented, and its not the sort of behaviour teams would rush to embrace.

In a few years there will be the "learned from mistakes" "matured" "deserves a second chance" if they keep their nose clean and play good hockey.

They arent the first pro athletes to do this sort of thing, but rightly or wrongly, it being in the public domain does matter. Again they didnt do anything illegal, but that doesnt mean teams will rush to be associated with them.

Exactly. Looks like they’ll all be found not guilty but not guilty doesn’t always equal completely innocent, especially in the court of public opinion. The crown may not have proven their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt here but enough details are out there that it’s pretty clear stuff happened in that room pretty much no NHL team would want to be associated with.

Hart has the best chance to resume his career in my opinion and I'll be surprised if he isn't on an NHL team at some point this year or next.

[bluetunehead]

A bit premature, but the judge saying she did not find the complaintant's testimony to be credible casts the outcome in a whole new light. I don't see how the NHL can deny these guys the right to play on that basis without inviting lawsuits.

These guys and the girl all did something very stupid and in different ways they've all paid a price, in public. Probably best everyone just moves on, except for that Canadian junior hockey organization that may still have some introspection and housecleaning left to do

Nobody thinks the NHL is going to deny them a chance to play, but a lot of teams might not be interested given the baggage. Hart is probably the most likely to find offers waiting, given the scarcity of goaltending.

[Walter Sobchak00]

A bit premature, but the judge saying she did not find the complaintant's testimony to be credible casts the outcome in a whole new light. I don't see how the NHL can deny these guys the right to play on that basis without inviting lawsuits.

These guys and the girl all did something very stupid and in different ways they've all paid a price, in public. Probably best everyone just moves on, except for that Canadian junior hockey organization that may still have some introspection and housecleaning left to do

Nobody thinks the NHL is going to deny them a chance to play, but a lot of teams might not be interested given the baggage. Hart is probably the most likely to find offers waiting, given the scarcity of goaltending.

Given how terrible McCleod sounded based on the text messages and testimony I doubt he'll ever put on an NHL uniform again.

[bluetunehead]

A bit premature, but the judge saying she did not find the complaintant's testimony to be credible casts the outcome in a whole new light. I don't see how the NHL can deny these guys the right to play on that basis without inviting lawsuits.

These guys and the girl all did something very stupid and in different ways they've all paid a price, in public. Probably best everyone just moves on, except for that Canadian junior hockey organization that may still have some introspection and housecleaning left to do

Nobody thinks the NHL is going to deny them a chance to play, but a lot of teams might not be interested given the baggage. Hart is probably the most likely to find offers waiting, given the scarcity of goaltending.

Given how terrible McCleod sounded based on the text messages and testimony I doubt he'll ever put on an NHL uniform again.

Yeah he was the only one I thought might still get in trouble in some way. The rest came off OK all things considered. McLeod just seems like a scumbag. I doubt he gets much interest. Foote probably not either, but more because he was basically out of the league already when this all came to light. Hart, Dube, and Formenton I could see getting a shot somewhere.

[STL fan in MN]

A bit premature, but the judge saying she did not find the complaintant's testimony to be credible casts the outcome in a whole new light. I don't see how the NHL can deny these guys the right to play on that basis without inviting lawsuits.

These guys and the girl all did something very stupid and in different ways they've all paid a price, in public. Probably best everyone just moves on, except for that Canadian junior hockey organization that may still have some introspection and housecleaning left to do

Nobody thinks the NHL is going to deny them a chance to play, but a lot of teams might not be interested given the baggage. Hart is probably the most likely to find offers waiting, given the scarcity of goaltending.

Given how terrible McCleod sounded based on the text messages and testimony I doubt he'll ever put on an NHL uniform again.

Agreed. He may have been found non guilty but he came out of this looking like an absolute scumbag.

Agree Hart has the best chance for a team to eventually take a chance on him.

[CANADABLUE]

NHL will decide the fate of these guys.

Everything is on the table. ALL evidence on the table. Not like what happened in this case.

I think the outcome for these guys may be a lot different.

As for Hart. He's not clean at all. In fact to me I would be nervous of his activities. He seems to feel nothing wrong with what he did.

A small piece of the link I post below it:

Check this out:

Before playing the video, Cunningham suggested it was odd to have the video filmed in the first place, that someone in that situation would only film such a video if there were “some possibility” that E.M. would later say she wasn’t consenting.

Hart defended the video, voicing that it wasn’t uncommon for professional athletes to make videos in a similar manner.

“Lots of professional athletes have done those things before,” Hart said.


Link to the full article is here:

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/carter ... 29596.html


I am probably the minority but to me the Judge has this wrong. She had problems from the get go.
The time sent preparing for this case by all sides, jury etc. went sideways in the first 7 - 10 days if I am not mistaken. You could tell It was going to be a sheet show.

[Atlantis17A]

I worked for the state as an attorney in criminal cases back in the day. Unless you were there and heard all the witnesses live, any opinion on the correctness of the verdict is guesswork. Once the judge determined the victim was not creditable, a conviction was impossible. My guess is that they were guilty of something but that due to the circumstances, including the long passage of time, the inebriation of all the parties, the initial botched police investigation etc., a conviction was always at best 50/50. The ball is now in Gary's court.

[TruBlueFan_1970]

Is there anyone that blues could use?

Honestly, all of the players involved were useful NHL'ers.

Dube was coming off a 45 point season for Calgary
McCleod was finally emerging as a 20+ point center with a power game
Hart was starting to realize his potential as a starting goalie
Formenton was coming off a 30 point season for Ottawa
Foote probably the "worst" of the bunch, but still a 6'4" viable #7/8 RHD isn't nothing.

Dube was easily the best of the bunch, but I don't know that I'd take the gamble on any of them given the circumstances(maybe Dube if he'd take a League minimum deal; but having him and Mailloux on the same team is a bit much).

Not to mention they have all had a year out of the league and lets be honest this will have clearly impacted them.

I suspect you will see a couple of them in a few years if they put strong seasons together overseas and demonstrate good character.

While what happened wasnt illegal, it has been very well documented, and its not the sort of behaviour teams would rush to embrace.

In a few years there will be the "learned from mistakes" "matured" "deserves a second chance" if they keep their nose clean and play good hockey.

They arent the first pro athletes to do this sort of thing, but rightly or wrongly, it being in the public domain does matter. Again they didnt do anything illegal, but that doesnt mean teams will rush to be associated with them.

Exactly. Looks like they’ll all be found not guilty but not guilty doesn’t always equal completely innocent, especially in the court of public opinion. The crown may not have proven their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt here but enough details are out there that it’s pretty clear stuff happened in that room pretty much no NHL team would want to be associated with.

Hart has the best chance to resume his career in my opinion and I'll be surprised if he isn't on an NHL team at some point this year or next.

Sounds like his character would make him a perfect fit on the Oilers. I mean, they didn’t worry about Kane and his alleged sexual assault suits (civil not criminal).

[bluetunehead]

As for Hart. He's not clean at all. In fact to me I would be nervous of his activities. He seems to feel nothing wrong with what he did.

I mean… the guy was *never* going to imply that he feels any guilt or remorse in the court room, and that’s by design courtesy of his legal team. Of course he would come off that way.

[Hooking]

I worked for the state as an attorney in criminal cases back in the day. Unless you were there and heard all the witnesses live, any opinion on the correctness of the verdict is guesswork. Once the judge determined the victim was not creditable, a conviction was impossible. My guess is that they were guilty of something but that due to the circumstances, including the long passage of time, the inebriation of all the parties, the initial botched police investigation etc., a conviction was always at best 50/50. The ball is now in Gary's court.

Wait. You mean reading articles about stuff on the internet / watching your TV doesn't make you an expert litigant who was basically there and knows everything?


Honestly, it's why I don't generally comment in these kinds of stories. I wasn't there, and I dont know and never will know as much as the people who are directly involved in the case and sitting in the court room.

[Army's Mom]

The NHL has already commented that these players remain ineligible pending their continuing investigation (can a morals clause apply retroactively?) and the PA has already criticized this position as inconsistent with the disciplinary section of the CBA.

My guess is that any reinstatement will have to wait until the appeals process runs (its quite likely the crown appeals, given the political pressure).

Personally, I think the NHL should have every right to determine if the evidence shows conduct that is prohibited by its relatively strict morals clause, assuming that clause can even be applied retroactively to the events in question (ie if they lied about the event when signing, for example).

At a minimum, it served everyone's best interests to let the legal process reach a conclusion first, which should inform the League's findings.