According to a report from CBC, District Court Judge Bruce Thomas has granted former NHL players Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton and Dillon Dube permission to miss their pre-trial pleas.
The charges relate to an alleged sexual assault of a woman at a Hockey Canada gala on June 19, 2018.
At the time the charges were filed, McLeod and Foote were members of the New Jersey Devils. Dube and Hart played for the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers, respectively. Formenton has already left the NHL, having played in Switzerland.
The five former NHL players will now be allowed to skip pre-trial arguments so they can focus on finding work to pay their legal fees.
“The applicants have each filed a sworn statement acknowledging the importance of the proceedings and waiving the need to attend the hearings,” Thomas wrote. “It is clear that each applicant has a need to work or find work, not only to support themselves, but also to pay their expenses, which at this time include legal fees.”
McLeod and Dube have since signed with the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The former Devils center is a member of Barys Astana, where he has teammates Will Butcher and Chase De Leo, who also played in New Jersey.
Foote and Hart are not playing, but said they are training in Denver and Alberta, respectively. Formenton has “moved beyond a hockey career” and works in construction in Barrie, Ontario.
This is a developing story. More details will follow.
Related: The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players and Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes
Related: Devils Q&A: Curtis Lazar Talks Life in New Jersey
