Content warning: This story includes allegations of sexual assault.
LONDON, Ont. — After seven weeks of court proceedings filled with significant developments, the prosecution and defense have concluded presenting evidence and calling witnesses in the trial against five former NHL players accused in a 2018 sexual assault case.
On June 9, the primary lawyers for each of the five accused individuals will commence their closing arguments. Before this next phase of the trial begins, let`s review the crucial events that led to this point and anticipate what steps will follow.
Timeline of Events
JUNE 2018
June 17-19: Members of the Canadian world junior men’s and sledge hockey teams gather in London, Ont., for a gala event celebrating their gold medal victories.
June 18-19: An alleged sexual assault involving E.M., the complainant, occurs in Room 209 of the Delta Armouries hotel in London. A publication ban protects her identity.
June 19: E.M.’s mother and her partner contact the London Police Service and Hockey Canada to report an incident at the hotel. Glen McCurdie, then Hockey Canada’s vice-president of insurance and risk management, contacts lawyer Danielle Robitaille from Henein Hutchison. McCurdie also reports the incident to London police.
June 22: LPS Detective Stephen Newton interviews E.M.
June 30-July 11: Robitaille interviews 10 of the 19 players from the 2018 world juniors team as part of her internal investigation.
Sept. 14: While awaiting E.M.’s participation, Robitaille submits an “interim report” to Hockey Canada.
Nov. 17: Det. Newton interviews Michael McLeod in person.
Nov. 24: Newton interviews Alex Formenton in person.
Dec. 18: Newton interviews Dillon Dube via conference call.
FEBRUARY 2019
Feb. 7: Det. Newton closes the LPS investigation, stating there are insufficient grounds for charges.
SEPTEMBER 2020
Robitaille concludes her investigation for Hockey Canada.
APRIL 2022
April 20: A statement of claim is filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, seeking $3.55 million in damages for the plaintiff. The lawsuit names Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, and eight unidentified “John Doe” players.
MAY 2022
May 26: A report reveals that Hockey Canada had settled a civil lawsuit with a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by eight men, including members of the 2018 Canadian men’s world junior team, following a June 2018 event in London. The NHL initiates its own investigation into the matter.
JUNE 2022
June 20: A Parliamentary committee begins hearings into Hockey Canada’s operations and its handling of the incident. Executives Tom Renney and Scott Smith testify.
June 22: Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge suspends Hockey Canada’s federal funding.
JULY 2022
July 14: Hockey Canada, through Robitaille, reopens its investigation and requires all players from the 2018 team to cooperate or face bans from future sanctioned events.
July 18: News reports indicate Hockey Canada had used minor hockey registration fees to fund an account for uninsured liabilities, including sexual assault claims.
July 19: Hockey Canada announces it will cease using this fund for such claims.
July 22: LPS reopens its investigation, with Det. Lyndsey Ryan appointed as the new lead investigator. Police also announce an investigation into allegations of a group sexual assault by Canadian world junior players at the 2003 tournament in Halifax; this investigation remains ongoing.
July 26: Robitaille testifies before the Parliamentary committee that E.M. agreed to participate in the reopened investigation. Robitaille does not publicly name the eight “John Does.”
July 27: Smith informs the Parliamentary committee that Hockey Canada had paid out $8.9 million to resolve 21 sexual misconduct lawsuits. In the days that follow, several sponsors pause or terminate their sponsorships with Hockey Canada.
OCTOBER 2022
Oct. 1-18: Robitaille interviews McLeod, Dube, and Formenton as part of the reopened internal investigation.
Oct. 13: Scott Smith resigns as CEO, and Hockey Canada’s entire board of directors steps down.
NOVEMBER 2022
Robitaille submits her second, completed report to Hockey Canada; this report has not been publicly released.
JULY 2023
July 4: Katherine Henderson, former CEO of Curling Canada, is appointed the new CEO and president of Hockey Canada.
NOVEMBER 2023
Nov. 14: Hockey Canada states it is appealing the findings of Robitaille’s second report.
JANUARY 2024
Jan. 28, 30: Charges are laid. McLeod is charged by the LPS with two counts of sexual assault, including one for aiding in the offense. Dube, Formenton, Cal Foote, and Carter Hart are each charged with one count of sexual assault.
FEBRUARY 2024
Feb. 2: The NHL concludes its investigation. Both NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh state they will await the outcome of the criminal proceedings before taking action.
Feb. 5: LPS chief Thai Truong publicly apologizes to E.M. for the delay in laying charges.
NOVEMBER 2024
Nov. 28: Justice Bruce Thomas, overseeing pre-trial matters, rules that the second Hockey Canada investigation report—including player and E.M. interviews conducted by Robitaille—is inadmissible as evidence for the trial.
APRIL 2025
Justice Maria Carroccia, a former defense attorney, is named the trial judge.
April 22: The trial begins. Charges are formally read to the accused in court; all plead not guilty. Jury selection commences.
April 25: Carroccia declares a mistrial on the second day, citing concerns of jury tainting after a defense lawyer and a juror encounter each other during a lunch break.
April 28: The trial recommences with a new jury.
April 30: Text messages from a group chat involving players who were in Room 209 in June 2018 are entered as evidence. A notable exchange includes texts from McLeod: “Who wants to be in a 3 way quick” signed “209- mikey.” Taylor Raddysh, the first team member to testify via Zoom, states he was in the room briefly and has no recollection of what he saw.
MAY 2025
May 2: Boris Katchouk testifies via Zoom he was in Room 209 briefly and did not speak to a woman on a bed before leaving. E.M. begins her testimony via CCTV, stating she consumed 12 alcoholic drinks that night.
May 5: E.M. testifies that after initial consensual contact with McLeod, she was sexually assaulted and felt unsafe due to the number of players present. She recounts players discussing sexually assaulting her with a golf club. Regarding two cellphone videos where she appears to give consent, she states: “I’m saying what they’re wanting me to say. … I don’t think it reflected how I was feeling.”
May 7: E.M. testifies she was not a willing participant, feeling “completely out of my body.” Under cross-examination by Hart’s lawyer, E.M. breaks down and cries.
May 14: E.M. concludes her testimony, stating that when she participated in the civil lawsuit, she understood that no players would be publicly identified.
May 14-17: Former player Tyler Steenbergen testifies from Alberta that Foote and Dube separately called him asking him not to reveal what he saw them do on June 19, 2018, to Hockey Canada investigators. Steenbergen states he “partially” saw Foote do the splits over E.M. and Dube slap her buttocks, noting, “It wasn’t hard, but it didn’t seem soft either.”
May 16: The second jury is dismissed after a juror reports defense team members making fun of them. The defense successfully requests the trial continue as a judge-only proceeding.
May 20-22: Brett Howden testifies via video from Las Vegas. His memory is repeatedly challenged by the prosecution, leading to him being treated as a hostile witness. Howden cries after being questioned by defense counsel about discussing the incident with his then-girlfriend, now wife.
May 26: Carroccia rules text messages between Howden and Raddysh inadmissible for a second time. These texts reportedly included Howden stating he saw Dube smack “the girl`s (butt) so hard, it looked like it hurt so bad.”
May 27: Howden concludes his testimony, denying to defense counsel that he was minimizing his involvement. A video of McLeod`s London police interview is shown. McLeod claimed he checked on E.M. “five times” and denied any text message invited players for sex.
May 28: A video of Formenton`s police interview is shown. Audio of Newton`s phone interview with Dube is also played. Neither player mentioned E.M. being slapped on the buttocks. Newton testifies he was unaware of a group chat where players discussed the incident.
May 29: The Crown concludes its case. Carter Hart testifies, becoming the only accused player to do so. He states his sexual contact with E.M. was consensual, that he saw her holding hands with Formenton, and that he would not have tolerated “disrespectful” actions toward the woman. The Crown challenges Hart’s memory extensively during cross-examination.
June 2: Defense lawyers state they have no further witnesses or evidence. The Crown has no further questions.
What’s Next
June 9: The five primary defense lawyers will begin presenting their closing submissions. Following the defense arguments, the Crown will present its closing arguments. After this, Justice Carroccia will inform the court when she expects to deliver her findings and ruling. This decision is not anticipated immediately, although the defense is expected to push for a swift resolution.
Editor’s note
If you or someone you know needs support, resources are available. For those in Canada, province-specific centers, crisis lines, and services can provide help. For readers in the United States, a list of resources and references for survivors and their loved ones is also available.
Duncan Priestley 
Neville Woodall