Jan 5, 2024; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Michael McLeod (20) celebrates his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
(Reuters) - Two of the five players from Canada's 2018 gold medal-winning world junior hockey team awaiting trial on charges in connection with an alleged group sexual assault have signed contracts to play in the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League.
The Astana Barys team based in Kazakhstan on Friday announced the signing of Michael McLeod to a deal that expires at the end of May 2025, while Dillon Dube is listed on the roster of Belarus-based Dinamo Minsk.
Public broadcaster Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported the signings on its website on Wednesday.
Both players were in the National Hockey League last season, McLeod with the New Jersey Devils while Dube played for the Calgary Flames.
Carter Hart and Cal Foote, who were also in the NHL last season, and Alex Formenton, who last played for HC Ambri-Piotta of Switzerland's National League, are the other players facing charges.
Each of the players took a leave of absence from their teams prior to the charges being laid. Their contracts eventually expired and they had not re-signed with any NHL or European team, essentially leaving them as free agents.
The charges are related to an alleged incident in June 2018 following a Hockey Canada gala honoring the nation's gold medal-winning world junior hockey team that year.
Lawyers for each of the players have said their clients deny wrongdoing and will defend themselves against the allegations.
A police investigation into the alleged incident was closed without charges in February 2019, but investigators reopened it in July 2022 in response to public outrage over reports that Hockey Canada paid an undisclosed settlement to the woman who made the accusations.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Additional reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
