Four NHLers charged in 2018 WJC scandal could try to play again this season!

Last week when it was confirmed that all five players allegedly involved in a sexual assault scandal that occurred during a Hockey Canada event in London in June 2018 had surrendered to the local police, the NHL did not make a statement on the situation.

Four National Hockey League players – Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote – surrendered on Tuesday, while former Ottawa Senators Alex Formenton, who currently plays in Switzerland, reported to police on Jan. 28. On Monday morning, the London Police will hold a press conference to update the public on the investigation.

Maybe then the NHL will decide to make a statement, and they must, especially since it’s been pointed out that the four players who are still under contract in the NHL could look to play again this season for their respective teams:

However, it is clear in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that teams have the right to suspend a player involved in an ongoing criminal investigation. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has the right to suspend a player or terminate a contract (or issue a fine) for “off-ice misconduct”, per the CBA.

Back in 2019, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynoy was suspended indefinitely by the league upon facing trial for domestic violence charges. Though his ban was cut in half by an independent arbitrator, Voynoy pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of corporal injury to a spouse in 2015 and the Kings made the statement that he would never play again for the organization. Since, he’s stayed in Russia playing for different clubs in the KHL.

Time will tell if Bettman decides to step up and make sure the focus is on getting justice for this incident that has rocked the Hockey world and force a necessary change to hockey culture.

On Monday, the London Police will hold a press conference to provide details on their investigation. The NHL completed its own investigation of the incident but has not made the results public. When reached by different news outlets and insiders, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Tuesday the league would not be commenting at this time.

We’ll see if that’s the route Bettman takes after charges are filed. Something has to be done.

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