Risk or reward? NHL teams consider re-signing players acquitted of sexual assault

Sports scandals often end careers and ruin reputations, but what happens when players are given a second chance? Five former NHL players found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman are finding out. 

In 2018, five members of the Canada World Juniors team, Carter Hart, Michael Macleod, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, and Dillon Dube, were accused of sexually assaulting a woman (E.M.). Following years of investigation, being forced to take a leave of absence from the NHL in 2024 and eventually having their contracts terminated, the five were found not guilty, and were allowed to return to the NHL. Of the five, only goaltender Carter Hart has been re-signed in the NHL. Hart signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Vegas Golden Knights, which eventually developed into a four-million-dollar contract over two years. 

Months after the five players were acquitted of the charges, the NHL’s decision to allow their return, though negotiated and staggered, ignited a storm of public debate. The controversy forced teams, the Golden Knights in particular, who signed Carter Hart, to make a difficult choice of whether to sign elite talent and face backlash from the fans who argued “not guilty doesn’t mean innocent.” This move has caused a disconnect within the sport, showing that for some teams, the chance to win is worth sacrificing their morals. 

The league took its time responding to the court’s verdict, announcing the players’ eligibility to return months after it was announced. While the NHL allowed the five players an eventual return, it sparked a discussion online on platforms such as Reddit, with some users calling this decision a “weird compromise” and saying that league is trying to “bury their debuts into the middle of the season where less eyes are on the sport.” 

The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) indicated that this staggered re-entry, with negotiations on October 1, signings on the 15, and return to play on December 1, was a negotiated settlement. Other players are allowed to sign and begin play at any time before the trade deadline. It was designed to protect the players’ rights to return to their play following the acquittal, while also acknowledging the severity of the allegations, giving the league some distance from the controversy.  

After this announcement, only two teams expressed their interest in potentially signing the players, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights. 

“Everyone makes mistakes, including myself,” said Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal. “As an 18-year-old kid, I’ve done some stupid stuff. I went to jail, I had to go through a lot of crap because of it, and it wasn’t fun. I had to go through some crappy times, but I owned it.” 

Staal has had his own trouble with the law. At 18, Staal, who is now 37, was arrested for disorderly conduct and underage drinking in 2007.  Though Staal himself never had a large trial or faced public scrutiny like the five did, he says he understands what the players are going through. 

In Vegas there was much less openness about the potential signing of the players, specifically Carter Hart, a goalie. A reporter for The Athletic, Mark Lazerus, said that he had his media pass revoked and was forced to leave the building after asking team members questions pertaining to the signing of the five players.  

A spokesperson for the Golden Knights said, “The team declined to allow head coach Bruce Cassidy to speak to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic one-on-one after learning of the topic.” They also went on to say “The Athletic ambushed Noah Hanifin during routine locker room media interviews and the team was not comfortable allowing the reporter to cover the game.”  

This version of events is in contrast with what Lazerus said, insisting that “Hanafin for his part, showed no irritation at the questions. He said any player who joined the team would be shown love and support.” 

Fans online divided themselves into two vastly opposing stances, one side supporting the victim, and the other supporting the five players.  

Those supporting E.M. pressured the associated teams by threatening to stop going to games and even cancel season tickets. They also formed petitions online to prevent teams from signing the players, and shared their own stories, similar to E.M.’s letting her know that she is not alone.  

Those supporting the players would provide words of encouragement online, saying they believe in them, and making posts on social media to show their loyalty. They have been openly advocating that the players deserve a second chance, that their careers shouldn’t be ruined so early on, and that they have their whole futures ahead of them. 

The online split is a model of a larger societal debate over legal versus moral accountability. For fans against the signings, the public uproar following the verdict was fueled by the belief that “not guilty doesn’t mean innocent.” The phrase acknowledges that while the prosecution did not have enough evidence to prove guilt, the victim’s claim is not invalidated.  

The backlash against the Carolina Hurricanes was particularly vocal. One fan in particular, Ashlie Clayton, a four-year season ticket holder, posted on X a screenshot of an email she had sent to the Hurricanes ticket representative, stating “We are writing as loyal season tickets members to make one point absolutely clear. If this team signs Michael Macleod, we will not renew our season tickets. Like any Caniac, we want the cup but not at the expense of the morals, principles, and reputation of this franchise.” This perspective argues that while the fans want the team to succeed, they are not willing to put the past behind them. 

The willingness of the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes to engage in negotiations is viewed by some as a clear calculation of talent over risk. As sports lawyer Greg Gilhooly noted, “There are going to be different amounts of justice and retribution meting out depending upon how good a hockey player you are.” Star goaltender Carter Hart in particular represents a high-risk high reward for a team willing to accept the risk of major public resistance. For a team with cup aspirations such as Vegas or Carolina, acquiring a former franchise goalie could be the missing piece to take them all the way.  

In previous years both Vegas and Carolina have made it to their respective conference finals, with Vegas winning the Stanley Cup in 2023 but not being able to recreate that success recently, as they fell short, losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the second-round last season. For Carolina, the pressure is building as they have been swept in three of four of their most recent conference finals appearances, only winning one game against the Florida Panthers in the 2025 conference finals.  

On October 9, Michael Macleod signed a three-year contract with the Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) based out of Russia. This move represents the first visible sign that the acquitted players are taking other paths and saw their NHL reinstatement less likely. The KHL is often referred to as the secondary professional league and is a regular landing spot for players whose careers have been sidelined due to injuries, poor performance, or in this case, off ice controversy. While this signing provides Macleod to continue high level play and a solid salary, it postpones his potential NHL return for years and shows that at least for Macleod, the legal acquittal did not mean an immediate second chance in North America. 

Carter Hart has now signed a contract with the Vegas Golden Knights worth $4 million over two years. “We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception,” The Knights said in a statement, “and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward.”  

“I’m beyond grateful, excited, and honored to be part of the Golden Knights,” Hart said. “It’s been a long road to get back at this point, getting back to playing the game of hockey, the game that I love, I’ve been out of the game for a year and a half now. I’ve learned a lot. Just excited to move forward.”  

Hart, once a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, is now the first of the five players to sign with an NHL team. Alex Formenton is currently playing for the Ambri-Piotta HC of the Swiss National League, where he played while on leave from the NHL. Both Dillon Dube and Cal Foote remain unsigned free agents. 

“Each team is going to have to make its own decision,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. “They know the rules and it’s up to them to decide whether or not, subject to those rules, they want to move forward.” It seems that forming online petitions and threatening to cancel tickets wasn’t enough to scare teams away from signing the players, as first of the five potential contracts has been inked. 

As the gates of the NHL reopen for the five acquitted players, they face the substantial task of earning not just a roster spot, but the trust of the league, the fan base, and society. Every shift, every interview, and every moment is likely to be watched and scrutinized as they navigate their comeback. 

Cover Image: Mark Landman/Unsplash