Five 2018 World Juniors players told to surrender to police: report

Five members of the team have been told to surrender to police and are set to face charges in relation to an alleged group sexual assault, according to a media report.

Five members of Canada’s 2018 World Juniors hockey team have been told to surrender to police and are set to face charges in relation to an alleged group sexual assault in London, Ont., according to a media report.

The Globe and Mail first reported the development Wednesday, citing two sources with knowledge of the investigation who were not named because they were not authorized to speak on the case.

The players, who have not been charged yet, have been given a set period of time to present themselves at London police headquarters, the Globe reported. Global News has not independently confirmed the Globe reporting.

Several players who were members on the 2018 team have taken indefinite leaves of absence from their clubs over recent days, according to statements from their teams posted on the social media platform X and in public comments. Those players are Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers, Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames and former Ottawa Senators player Alex Formenton, who now plays in Switzerland.

Global News has reached out to agents representing all of the players taking leaves and legal representatives, as well as the NHL and NHL Players Association, but has not received responses by publication time.

London Police Services and the investigating officer on the case both said they had no information to share at this time.

There is no confirmation that the leaves are related to the Globe report.

The reportedly anticipated charges stem from an alleged group sexual assault in London, Ont., in June 2018 after a Hockey Canada gala event.