The Devils announced that Michael McLeod and Cal Foote are taking indefinite leaves of absence, with no further comments provided at this time.
Both McLeod and Foote were part of the 2018 Canadian World Juniors team, five members of which are currently facing sexual assault allegations, as reported by The Globe And Mail.
Recent reports reveal that these five players have been instructed to surrender to Canadian police in connection with the aforementioned allegations.
Joining McLeod and Foote, three other players from the 2018 Canadian World Juniors team—Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, and Alex Formenton, currently playing for HC Ambri Piotta in the Swiss league—have also been granted leaves of absence.
In April 2022, a woman filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, and eight unnamed players, alleging sexual assault in a London, Ont. hotel room after a Hockey Canada event in June 2018. At that time, she chose not to disclose the names of the involved players.
Although Hockey Canada settled the lawsuit in May 2022, they reopened their investigation due to criticism over their initial handling of the accusations.
