Jan 20, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart (79) makes a save against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Former Flyers goalie Carter Hart will be allowed to come back to the NHL this season, but not until December.
The league announced on Thursday that five former members of Canada’s 2018 U-20 Junior Team - Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Hart, and Michael McLeod — will not be allowed to play in an NHL game until Dec. 1, despite being found not guilty in a high-profile sexual assault case.
The league deemed the players’ conduct after the 2018 Hockey Canada Foundation Gala “deeply troubling and unacceptable,” saying it fell short of the moral and ethical standards expected of all those connected to the game.
However, all five players are eligible to sign a contract with a team as of Oct. 15 and can begin training with the team that signs them on Nov. 15.
#NHL rules that the five former players who were acquitted in the 2018 Team Canada sexual assault trial will be permitted to sign contracts no sooner than Oct. 15 and not to play games before Dec. 1. pic.twitter.com/xbmuzRCwX8
The NHL provided a statement that read, in part:
"In relying on both our own investigation, and the conclusions reached by Justice (Maria) Carroccia in her opinion, and the players’ acquittal, the League has determined that the conduct at issue falls woefully short of the standards and values that the League and its Member Clubs expect and demand.
"The League is now confronted with how best to respond to all that has happened -- the conduct of the players, the criminal proceeding, and the acquittal of the players.
"Each of the players, based on in-person meetings with the League following the verdicts, expressed regret and remorse for his actions. Nevertheless, we believe their conduct requires formal League-imposed discipline.
"Given their conduct, we carefully evaluated the players’ acquittal in court and the time spent away from the game. Taking into account that the players have been away from the game for 20 months – including since their acquittals in July -- we have determined that the players will be eligible to sign an NHL contract no sooner than October 15, 2025, and eligible to play in NHL games no sooner than December 1, 2025, bringing their total time out of the League to nearly two years.
"The League expects and requires that, going forward, each of the players will uphold the standards required of NHL players both on and off the ice."
A third-party NHL investigation was launched in May 2022 after allegations surfaced; it included interviews with players and relevant parties, and review of documents, videos, and texts. When criminal charges were laid in early 2024 in London, Ontario, the League paused its own process.
The trial, presided over by Justice Carroccia, began in April 2025 and concluded June 13; on July 24, 2025, she acquitted all five players, finding that the Crown had not met the burden of proof.
NHLPA statement on Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod: pic.twitter.com/XFZopyfrAs
The NHL Players' Association also issued a statement that said, "We are pleased that [the five players] will have the opportunity to resume their NHL careers. The players cooperated with every investigation. Upon their full acquittal by Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia, we initiated discussions with the NHL regarding the players' return to work. To avoid a protracted dispute that would cause further delay, we reached the resolution that the league announced today. We now consider the matter closed and look forward to the players' return."
