NHL-Devils forward McLeod facing sexual assault charges

New Jersey Devils forward Mike McLeod has been charged by police in London, Ontario in connection with an investigation into an alleged sexual assault by several members of Canada's 2018 world junior team, his lawyers said on Tuesday. News of the charges against McLeod comes two days after former National Hockey League (NHL) player Alex Formenton appeared at London Police Service headquarters where he was also charged with sexual assault.

New Jersey Devils forward Mike McLeod has been charged by police in London, Ontario in connection with an investigation into an alleged sexual assault by several members of Canada's 2018 world junior team, his lawyers said on Tuesday.

News of the charges against McLeod comes two days after former National Hockey League (NHL) player Alex Formenton appeared at London Police Service headquarters where he was also charged with sexual assault. The charges are related to an alleged group sexual assault of a woman in June 2018 following a Hockey Canada golf and gala event where the junior team was being honoured for their gold medal win at the world junior championships.

"Mr. McLeod denies any criminal wrongdoing," David Humphrey and Seth Weinstein of Toronto-based law firm Greenspan Humphrey Weinstein said in a statement. "He will be pleading not guilty and will vigorously defend the case. "None of the evidence has been presented, let alone tested in court. We ask that the public respect Mr McLeod's privacy, and his family's privacy."

The Devils, who last week said McLeod had requested and been granted an indefinite leave of absence from the NHL team, did not immediately respond to Reuters when asked in an email to comment on the charges. The London Police Service have called a news conference for Monday when they are expected to release more details.

McLeod was selected by the Devils with the 12th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. The 25-year-old forward has 10 goals and nine assists in 45 games this season. Hockey Canada, the sport's national governing body, came under fire when news broke in May 2022 of the alleged assault and subsequent out-of-court settlement that was paid for from player registration fees.

The scandal prompted the Canadian federal government to freeze Hockey Canada's funding for 10 months while a number of major companies either paused or cancelled their sponsorships with the national governing body. Amid the scandal, Hockey Canada said it would no longer use the fund financed by player registration fees to settle sexual assault claims while the organisation's CEO and board of directors stepped down.

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