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Do you want one of the five? NHL and NHLPA battle over eligibility. |
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The question on everyone’s mind today,regarding the five players who were found not guilty, is will they be back in the NHL? I was talking to a lot of people yesterday and many people. I remember what these players were like in the NHL and if they would be back in the league if this hadn’t happened?
Let’s look at the NHL Stats of these five players.
Michael McLeod
• Center…drafted 2016 (1st round, 12th overall, Devils)
• NHL career totals (New Jersey Devils): 287 GP, 29 G, 56 A, 85 points, +/− –17 with 164 PIM
• Career-high season: 26 points in 80 games during the 2022–23 season
Carter Hart
• Goaltender….drafted 2016 (Flyers, 2nd round), served as Philadelphia’s primary starter
• NHL career: 227 GP, record 96–93–29, GAA 2.94, SV% .906, 6 shutouts
Dillon Dubé
• (C/LW), drafted 2016 (2nd round, 56th overall, Flames)
• NHL totals with Calgary: 325 GP, 57 G, 70 A, 127 points, + /– –17
Alex Formenton
• Left Wing, drafted 2017 (2nd round, 47th overall, Senators)
• 2021‑22 NHL season (with Ottawa): 79 GP, 18 G, 14 A, 32 points, + /– –13
• NHL career total: approximately 109 GP, 23 G, 16 A, 39 points, + /– –9
Cal Foote
• Defenseman, drafted 2017 (1st round, 14th overall, Lightning), played with Tampa Bay, Nashville, and Devils
• NHL stats: 145 GP, 5 G, 15 A, 20 points, + /– +24, 137 PIM 7 PIM
What happens next?
Yesterday the NHL came out and claimed that these players are still ineligible while the NHL itself goes through the court findings. This is not surprising. The NHL has a big morality clause in their contracts and takes this various seriously before reinstating players… however there’s a lot of gray areas here because this instant happened before these players were under contract in the NHL. They were 18 years old..
The NHLPA he’s already very upset and has filed that these players deserve immediate eligibility and should be allowed to return to work…
Below is the NHLPA Statement..
Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod were acquitted of all charges by Justice Carroccia of the Ontario Superior Court. After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. The NHL’s declaration that the players are ‘ineligible’ to play pending its further analysis of the court’s findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA. We are addressing this dispute with the league and will have no further comment at this time.
What’s really going on?
Meanwhile, the NHL decision may have something to do with the fact that the Crown in Canada still has 30 days to appeal this ruling. This is a very high-stakes case in Canada and it’s almost impossible to say that there won’t be an appeal. My feeling is the NHL is probably waiting to find out whether there is an appeal before granting these players eligibility again in the NHL. The NHL also wants to make sure it’s respectful of everybody involved. However, even if an appeal is made, the NHL would still be under a lot of pressure to let these players play while that process goes on..
What do you think?
Yesterday I put a survey on Twitter, asking people if they would be willing to welcome these players back to the NHL if they were found not guilty. Over 2000 people responded and 71% said they would be willing to walk these players back.
What say you?
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