NHL suspends players acquitted in 2018 sexual assault trial until Dec. 1

[Unfathomable]

The NHL and NHLPA have agreed that the five players acquitted in the 2018 London sexual assault trial will be suspended until Dec. 1, although they will have the opportunity to sign with NHL teams as soon as Oct. 15, Sportsnet has learned.

According to multiple sources, the players will not appeal the decision.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/so ... til-dec-1/

[BalotelliMassive]

When will this league stop making terrible decisions?

This is a joke!

[DawgDad]

There's no way I'd agree to that, it's equivalent to a Scarlett Letter. Problem is, litigation could exhaust a career timeline.

[STL fan in MN]

They could appeal but the appeals process would almost certainly take longer than Oct 15 or Dec 1.

I guess now we’ll see if any of these guys are deemed worth the risk of signing. Hart almost certainly will be. A couple weren’t really NHL caliber anyway while a couple of them might not be good enough to be worth the potential PR damage.

[Army's Mom]

Is there a more milquetoast, PR, consultant driven decision possible? This pleases nobody amd just manages to prolong the story at a time when the hockey world needs to move on.

[DawgDad]

Is there a more milquetoast, PR, consultant driven decision possible? This pleases nobody amd just manages to prolong the story at a time when the hockey world needs to move on.

Well, one thing this does is effectively "sneak" players back in once the season has started and attention is focused on the games. Otherwise, I tend to agree.

[Backesdraft]

When will this league stop making terrible decisions?

This is a joke!

Asking honestly, what is it that has you upset about this decision? Is it that they’re being allowed back at all? I’m genuinely asking.

[BalotelliMassive]

When will this league stop making terrible decisions?

This is a joke!

Asking honestly, what is it that has you upset about this decision? Is it that they’re being allowed back at all? I’m genuinely asking.

These people are innocent - why is there a time period for them to be reinstated?

[Backesdraft]

When will this league stop making terrible decisions?

This is a joke!

Asking honestly, what is it that has you upset about this decision? Is it that they’re being allowed back at all? I’m genuinely asking.

These people are innocent - why is there a time period for them to be reinstated?

Thanks for responding. I tend to agree with that take myself. It seems odd to say “hey you can come back…but not for another 4 months.” I’m not sure I get the reasoning.

[STL fan in MN]

When will this league stop making terrible decisions?

This is a joke!

Asking honestly, what is it that has you upset about this decision? Is it that they’re being allowed back at all? I’m genuinely asking.

These people are innocent - why is there a time period for them to be reinstated?

Thanks for responding. I tend to agree with that take myself. It seems odd to say “hey you can come back…but not for another 4 months.” I’m not sure I get the reasoning.

While deemed not guilty of a crime, NHL contracts contain morality clauses. I bet the NHL found they all definitely violated those. Idk for sure but that’d be the obvious assumption here.

[SRV1990]

When will this league stop making terrible decisions?

This is a joke!

Asking honestly, what is it that has you upset about this decision? Is it that they’re being allowed back at all? I’m genuinely asking.

These people are innocent - why is there a time period for them to be reinstated?

Thanks for responding. I tend to agree with that take myself. It seems odd to say “hey you can come back…but not for another 4 months.” I’m not sure I get the reasoning.

While deemed not guilty of a crime, NHL contracts contain morality clauses. I bet the NHL found they all definitely violated those. Idk for sure but that’d be the obvious assumption here.

That would seem like the most logical reason.

[Cedar]

When will this league stop making terrible decisions?

This is a joke!

Asking honestly, what is it that has you upset about this decision? Is it that they’re being allowed back at all? I’m genuinely asking.

These people are innocent - why is there a time period for them to be reinstated?

Thanks for responding. I tend to agree with that take myself. It seems odd to say “hey you can come back…but not for another 4 months.” I’m not sure I get the reasoning.

While deemed not guilty of a crime, NHL contracts contain morality clauses. I bet the NHL found they all definitely violated those. Idk for sure but that’d be the obvious assumption here.

That would seem like the most logical reason.

True enough, but wasn't the last two years of no pay and missed development opportunities enough punishment? Why wait another four months? And as someone else stated, now it will bring it into the limelight once again on Dec 1.

[TAFKAP]

When will this league stop making terrible decisions?

This is a joke!

Asking honestly, what is it that has you upset about this decision? Is it that they’re being allowed back at all? I’m genuinely asking.

These people are innocent - why is there a time period for them to be reinstated?

Thanks for responding. I tend to agree with that take myself. It seems odd to say “hey you can come back…but not for another 4 months.” I’m not sure I get the reasoning.

While deemed not guilty of a crime, NHL contracts contain morality clauses. I bet the NHL found they all definitely violated those. Idk for sure but that’d be the obvious assumption here.

That would seem like the most logical reason.

True enough, but wasn't the last two years of no pay and missed development opportunities enough punishment? Why wait another four months? And as someone else stated, now it will bring it into the limelight once again on Dec 1.

Training Camp starts in what 2 weeks? most of these dudes have been out how long? Are they in shape? The delay gives them time to get ready, and by December you'll have less coverage of it and you'll have injuries so maybe these guys can get a contract.

Or maybe the NHL hates all of them and wants them to go away. Maybe this will force most to Europe so they arent waiting around to see if they get a deal here. IDK

[moose-and-squirrel]

unless someone knows the reason (pending litigation? league investigation?) , this is all speculation. maybe it's a 'joke' or maybe it's something real

[Blues Dave]

This situation exsists because of something that,

"An investigation by London Police Service was launched that week and closed in February 2019, with the supervising detective concluding that there was insufficient evidence to lay charges."

So in my opinion, there is no situation. If anything, I could see a lawsuit initiated by these players for at the very least, hampering their chances of an oportunity to become NHL players and all that encompasis, including monitary, which can increase sugnifantly with their possible ability and popularity. Now the exact oppisit is mre likely probabile. Can they catch up to where they may have been in their carreers? Why should they even have to? Just my opinion, but I do feel strongly about this one.

[Hooking]

Trevor.
Bauer.




Doesn't matter if you are actually innocent. It's all about optics and what people on social media think.