NHL teams will get cap relief for players charged in 2018 case

The NHL has told the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers they'll be granted salary cap relief for the players on leave amid the 2018 world junior sexual assault case, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed to The Athletic's Ian Mendes and Chris Johnston.

Dillon Dube of the Flames, Cal Foote and Michael McLeod of the Devils, and Carter Hart of the Flyers have all been charged with one count of sexual assault in the police investigation into an alleged incident involving members of Team Canada's junior squad at a London, Ontario hotel. McLeod is also facing an additional sexual assault charge.

All four players requested and received leaves of absence from their clubs in January. Those players, along with ex-NHLer Alex Formenton, separately surrendered to police.

London police chief Thai Truong publicly apologized Monday to the woman who said she was sexually assaulted for the length of time it took to complete the investigation. The initial probe was closed in 2019 and reopened in 2022.

Hockey Canada said Monday that all 22 players on Canada's 2018 world junior team remain suspended from any international competition where the governing body has control over the roster. That doesn't include the recently confirmed 4 Nations Faceoff in 2025, which is an NHL/NHLPA event.

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