2 NJ Devils Players Take ‘Leaves Of Absence’ From Hockey Team

NEWARK, NJ — Two New Jersey Devils players will be taking “indefinite leaves of absence,” the hockey team announced Wednesday: Michael McLeod and Cal Foote.

The Devils, who play home games at the Prudential Center in Newark, said McLeod and Foote requested the leaves of absence, which were granted. The team added that it “will have no further comment at this time” in a short statement.

The move came just hours after police in London, Ontario ordered five players from the nation’s 2018 Canadian World Junior team to surrender in connection with a sex assault that took place more than five years ago, NJ Advance Media reported.

Both McLeod and Foote were members of the 2018 team.

According to the Globe and Mail – which was the first to report on the situation – the five players have not yet been named or formally charged.

Police say they have reasonable grounds to believe that the five players sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel room after a Hockey Canada fundraising gala, the Globe and Mail reported in 2022.

Over the past couple of days, two other players on the 2018 team – Carter Hart of the Flyers and Dillon Dube of the Flames – have taken indefinite leaves of absence from the NHL, Deadspin.com reported. And on Wednesday, Alex Formenton left the Swiss professional hockey team Ambrì-Piotta Hockey Club to “return to Canada,” the club said.

McLeod issued a statement about the allegations in 2018, saying that he is cooperating with a police investigation, but declining further comment.

Meanwhile, several other players on the 2018 team have issued statements claiming that they were not involved in the assault, SportingNews.com reported.

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