2018 Canadian Junior Team | Five players receive leave from their respective clubs

Five members of the Canadian team that won the gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship in 2018 have just, in recent days, obtained a leave of absence from their respective professional teams.

In the span of 24 hours, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, and Alex Formenton of HC Ambri-Piotta in the Swiss National League all left the entourage. of their club.

The press releases published by the three organizations, Tuesday and Wednesday, are, with a few words, identical: the players concerned have all “requested and obtained” leave “for an indefinite period”. In the case of Hart and Formenton, it is specified that their absence is attributable to “personal reasons”. Formenton, moreover, received authorization “to return to Canada.”

On Sunday, the Calgary Flames released a brief press release in which we could read that Dillon Dube was also taking leave for “an indefinite period”. However, issues related to his “mental health” were raised. Adding that he was being monitored by “health professionals”, the Flames asked that the attacker’s privacy be respected during his absence.

Hart, McLeod, Foote, Formenton and Dube all made the junior national team in 2018. The Globe and Mail revealed this Wednesday morning that five members of this group were ordered to go to the London police to face charges. However, we are not in a position to suggest that the players who have been given leave since Sunday will be among the accused.

The NHL has not yet provided any reaction to the latest developments in this matter.

“Aware of nothing”

The Philadelphia Flyers are the only one to have addressed, without naming it, the Hockey Canada scandal. During a press briefing which was already scheduled to take stock of his club’s mid-season, general manager Daniel Brière took the lead by reading a written statement to the journalists on site.

“We are aware of the news published this morning,” he stressed. We will respond appropriately when the findings of the investigations are made public. The NHL has been very clear: all questions on this subject must be referred to them. »

If Carter Hart is one of those charged, will he remain a member of the Flyers?, asked a journalist. “I cannot comment at this point,” insisted Brière. We will wait for advice from the league. »

“We don’t know anything,” he added. There’s a lot of speculation, that’s all we know. (…) We don’t know what will happen with Carter. » The CEO also indicated that he did not attempt to communicate with the goalkeeper or his agent.

Carter Hart, 25, was drafted in the second round (48^e in total) by the Flyers in 2016. In 26 games since the start of the season, he has presented a record of 12-9-3, in addition to maintaining a goals against average of 2.80 and an efficiency rate of .906.

Michael McLeod, a 25-year-old center, was drafted in the first round (12^e in total) by the Devils in 2016. He played in all 45 games for his team this season, recording 19 points.

Cal Foote, also 25 years old, was drafted in the first round (14^e total) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017. The defenseman was traded to the Nashville Predators last spring before signing a free agent contract with the Devils during the summer. He has only played four games in New Jersey so far, during which he has collected one assist.

Formenton, 24-year-old striker, was drafted in the second round (47^e in total) by the Ottawa Senators in 2017. In his first full season in the NHL, in 2021-2022, he scored 18 goals and amassed 32 points in 79 games.

Having become a restricted free agent in July 2022 after the expiration of his NHL entry contract, he has not signed a new agreement with the Senators, although he remains on the reserve list. The club’s management has never, to date, provided an explanation on the situation. The request for reaction from The Press to the Senators has so far remained unanswered.

Dillon Dube, 25, was drafted in the second round (56^e in total) by the Flames in 2016. In 43 games this season, he has seven points.

McLeod, a 25-year-old center, was drafted in the first round (12^e in total) by the Devils in 2016. He played in all 45 games for his team this season, recording 19 points.

As for Foote, also 25 years old, he was drafted in the first round (14^e total) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017. The defenseman was traded to the Nashville Predators last spring before signing a free agent contract with the Devils during the summer. Splitting his time between the NHL and the American League, he has so far only played four games in New Jersey, during which he collected one assist.