Cal Foote, one of the players acquitted in Hockey Canada sexual assault case, signs in the AHL

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FILE - New Jersey Devils' Cal Foote waits on a face off during an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, March 14, 2024. Photo: Associated Press/Tony Gutierrez

Chicago, IL (AP) – Cal Foote has signed an American Hockey League contract with the Chicago Wolves, making him the fourth of five players acquitted of sexual assault in the high-profile trial of members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team to continue his career.

The team announced the deal with the soon-to-be 27-year-old defenseman on Monday. Goaltender Carter Hart signed with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights in mid-October just after the window opened for the players to be eligible for new contracts.

Forward Michael McLeod, who was also found not guilty of an additional count of being party to the offense of sexual assault, signed a three-year deal with Avangard Omsk of the KHL in October. McLeod played for the club last season, as well, after originally signing in the Russia-based league with Barys Astana in Kazakhstan.

Alex Formenton has played for HC Ambri-Piotta in the Swiss Hockey League since 2022 after the Ottawa Senators opted not to re-sign him.

Dillon Dube spent 2024-25 with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk in Belarus, but the 27-year-old winger has not played this season.

All of the players except Formenton were in the NHL when they were charged in early 2024 in connection to an incident in London, Ontario, in 2018. Foote and McLeod were with New Jersey, Hart with Philadelphia and Dube with Calgary.

Those teams did not extend qualifying offers to the players that summer, and they became free agents. The league announced in September they’d be eligible to sign Oct. 15 and play Dec. 1, and Hart could make his Vegas debut as soon as Tuesday.

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This story has been corrected to show that McLeod was found not guilty.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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