Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart charged with sexual assault in connection with 2018 Hockey Canada investigation
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) - Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart has been charged with sexual assault in connection with an alleged assault by several members of Canada's 2018 world junior team, his attorney confirmed Tuesday.
"We act for Carter Hart and confirm he has been charged with one count of sexual assault," Megan Savard and Riaz Sayani, Toronto-based criminal defense lawyers with Savard Foy LLP who represent Hart, said in a statement. "He is innocent and will provide a full response to this false allegation in the proper forum, a court of law. Until then, we have no comment."
Our statement on behalf of Carter Hart pic.twitter.com/nhn9YFvFT9
— Savard Foy LLP (@SavardFoy) January 30, 2024
"We will respond appropriately to this very serious matter when the outcomes of the investigations are made public. The NHL has been very clear that teams should refer all investigation-related questions to them. In the meantime, members of the organization, including Flyers players, will not be commenting further," the Flyers wrote in a statement to CBS News Philadelphia.
Attorneys representing Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube said Tuesday their clients also have been charged with sexual assault by police in London, Ontario. They denied any wrongdoing on their behalf.
Former NHL player Alex Formenton surrendered to police to face charges. Attorney Daniel Brown said Formenton is innocent "and asks that people not rush to judgment without hearing all of the evidence."
Last week, Hart took an indefinite leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. He joined Dube, Formenton, McLeod and Foote in taking a leave of absence from their teams. Formenton was granted an indefinite leave of absence from HC Ambrì-Piotta, a professional hockey team in Switzerland.
Hart, Dube, McLeod, Foote and Formenton were members of the 2018 U-20 Team Canada team.
London police launched their investigation in 2022 after it was disclosed that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit with a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by eight members of that gold medal-winning team after a Hockey Canada Foundation fundraising gala. London is approximately halfway between Toronto and Detroit.
London police have scheduled a news conference for Monday to address the situation. A police spokesperson told The Associated Press by email no updates on the investigation will be provided before the news conference.
The Globe and Mail reported the five players were asked to surrender to police in the city to face charges.
According to court documents, the woman, then 20, alleged that a man, identified only as "John Doe #1," took her from a bar to a hotel room and invited seven other people into the room to perform undisclosed sexual acts, intimidating her and preventing her from leaving. The woman said in the lawsuit the men directed her to take a shower and asked her to say on video that she was sober.
The woman sought $3.55 million in damages and dropped the lawsuit after settling with Hockey Canada.
The NHL opened its investigation in 2022 and has pledged to make those findings public. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly last week said the league would issue a statement if and when it is appropriate.
Flyers general manager Danny Briere said last week the team was aware of the reports involving the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault investigation.
"We are aware of this morning's press reports on a very serious matter. We will respond appropriately when the outcomes of the investigations are made public," Briere said last week. "The NHL has been very clear that teams should refer all investigation-related questions to them. In the meantime, members of the organization, including Flyers players, will not be commenting any further."
Briere said last week he also wasn't in touch with Hart and didn't have a timeline for what's next.
The Flyers will rely on goalies Samuel Ersson and Cal Petersen during Hart's absence, Briere said.
Before his absence, Hart, 25, was coming off one of the worst starts of his strong season. He allowed five goals on 15 shots in a loss to the Colorado Avalanche before being pulled.
Hart has played in 26 games for the Flyers so far this season, including making 25 starts. He's 12-9-3 in his sixth NHL season, the final one of his three-year contract worth $11.9 million.
What does this mean for Hart's future?
While the NHL has yet to comment on Hart or any of the other players charged with the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault investigation, the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the National Hockey League Players Association grants Commissioner Gary Bettman the power to suspend any player under criminal investigation.
Specific language in the CBA states, under Article 18-A.5 Criminal Investigation, "The League may suspend the Player pending the League's formal review and disposition of the matter where the failure to suspend the Player during this period would create a substantial risk of material harm to the legitimate interests and/or reputation of the League."
The CBA also allows Bettman to suspend, terminate or fine any player for off-ice conduct under Article 18-A.
Bettman used this article of the CBA in 2014 to suspend former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov after he was arrested on domestic violence charges.