The case of sexual assaults linked to the 2018 edition of Team Canada Junior will have taken a long time before finally culminating in formal, official charges.
However, since the case finally came to a head, we’ve barely heard a peep from the five (now former) National Hockey League players who were accused in the case.
I’m talking, of course, about Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote and Michael McLeod (the only one charged with two counts).
Since these huge accusations of sexual assault, the five players continue their lives in the shadows, awaiting their trial by jury in September 2025.
For the most part, they continue their hockey careers in the hope that they will one day return to the NHL.
Indeed, Dillon Dubé and Michael McLeod have both signed KHL contracts in Kazakhstan and Belarus, while Carter Hart and Cal Foote have been training hard since the start of the summer in a bid to stay at the top of their game.
However, it’s quite the opposite for the fifth and final defendant in the case, Alex Formenton, who has given up his hockey career and is now working full-time in construction.
Alex Formenton has “‘moved on from a hockey career,’ court documents state, but is working full time in construction.” |@CBCNews https://t.co/o6uv6WEhNO
– NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) September 6, 2024
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Indeed, this is what is explained in a recent article by Kate Dubinski for CBC, where we learn that a judge allowed the five defendants to miss the pre-trial legal argument period.
The judge allowed such an accommodation to the five players in order to allow them to simply work or find work in order to live and pay their legal fees.
Note that in his reasons for the accommodation, Justice Bruce Thomas refers to the five defendants, who will all plead not guilty, as “talented junior hockey players”.
Anyway, back to Formenton, he seems to be the only one so far to have given up his hockey career completely.
He’s working full-time in construction in Barrie, Ontario, as mentioned in the article, as well as taking ongoing training in heavy equipment operation and the administrative aspects of his new trade.
In short, the former Ottawa Senators player and second-round pick (47ᵉ overall) in 2017) doesn’t seem to be playing hockey anymore, while at 24, he’s turned his career to construction.
Let’s see if letting go of his hockey career will make him look better in front of the jury.
Overtime
– Happy birthday to a Canadian legend.
Happy 79th birthday to HHOFer Jacques Lemaire who was born ON THIS DAY in hockey history (September 7, 1945):
11-time Stanley Cup Champion (8 player/2 executive/1 coach)
2-time NHL Allstar
2-time Jack Adams Trophy Winner#VintageHockey #NHL @CanadiensMTL @NJDevils @mnwild pic.twitter.com/o1Gk0gMpK3– Vintage Hockey Showcase (@hockey_vintage) September 7, 2024
– Read more.
Getting the most out of Patrik Lainehttps://t.co/4nxutJD8y3
– Eyes On The Prize (@HabsEOTP) September 7, 2024
– The Ducks have reportedly been aggressive for Stamkos and Marchessault this summer.
Friedman on 32TP: “The other interesting thing about the Ducks this year, I think they took some big swings in free agency, I think they went hard at Stamkos, I think they went really hard at Jonathan Marchessault, I think they want to start ramping it up again”
– NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) September 7, 2024
– A tragic event that left a lasting impression.
We remember Lokomotiv Yaroslavl whose plane tragically crashed 13 years ago today. Among those lost that day were Pavol Demitra, Alexander Karpovtsev, Igor Korolev, Brad McCrimmon and Ruslan Salei.
RIP to all 44 people who lost their lives that day, gone but never forgotten pic.twitter.com/vnSUehoRPH
– Vintage Hockey Showcase (@hockey_vintage) September 7, 2024
– Friedman expects a big season for Byfield.
Friedman on 32TP: “My prediction: Byfield is on Team Canada this year, he plays for Team Canada at the 4-Nations”
– NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) September 7, 2024
– Bravo !
Paracanoë 🚣♀️: Brianna Hennessy 🇨🇦 wins silver in the VL2 200 m! 🤩🥈#Paris2024 #paralympics #paralympics #rcsports #canoekayak @CanoeKayakCAN pic.twitter.com/HHuqjdFGjR
– Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) September 7, 2024