On Wednesday, the New Jersey Devils granted indefinite leaves of absence to forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote.
The team released a post on social media, saying the club will not comment any further at this time.
McLeod, 25, has been with the team since getting selected 12th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. Through 45 games this season, he has totalled 10 goals and nine assists, scoring 85 points in 287 career games with the Devils.
Foote, 25, was taken 14th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning the following year. He played parts of three seasons with the Tampa organization before getting traded to the Nashville Predators in February of last season.
Foote has played just four games with New Jersey this season, picking up one assist.
McLeod and Foote are the fourth and fifth members of the 2018 Canadian World Junior team to have taken leave of absences from their team in the past three days. Alex Formenton, currently playing with HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss National League, was allowed to return to Canada for personal reasons.
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart took an indefinite leave of absence Tuesday for personal reasons, and Calgary Flames’ Dillon Dube took an indefinite leave of absence on Sunday to deal with his mental health.
On Wednesday morning it was reported that five members of the 2018 Canadian World Junior Championship team have been ordered to surrender to London Police Services to face charges of sexual assault of a woman.
The alleged incident occurred in London in 2018 following a team celebration. London police initially closed the investigation the following year, but it was reopened in 2022 after a report that Hockey Canada had reached a settlement with the alleged victim for millions of dollars after she filed a civil lawsuit against them.
No official charges have yet been laid, and no players have been named.
There is no timeline when the five accused from the 2018 team have been ordered to surrender to London police, but the Globe and Mail reports they have been given a set time.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli has been told by the NHL that its own investigation into the 2018 allegations remains ongoing and that no punishments will be doled out until the London Police investigation wraps.
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