Five players from Canada's 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their current clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges.
Michael McLeod and
Cal Foote of the
New Jersey Devils,
Carter Hart of the
Philadelphia Flyers,
Dillon Dube of the
Calgary Flames and former NHL player Alex Formenton, who is now playing in Europe, all have been granted indefinite leave, with the absences announced in the past four days.
The Flyers and Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta cited personal reasons for Hart's and Formenton's leaves; the Swiss club also said Formenton has been allowed to return to Canada. The Flames cited Dube's mental health, and the Devils did not give a reason Wednesday in announcing McLeod and Foote were on leave.