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Hockey Canada fans were left in a state of uncertainty as Ottawa Senators' forward Alex Formenton was granted an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons. It led to speculations relating to the Hockey Canada scandal's involvement. The announcement, made via NHL insider Elliotte Friedman's tweet,
"Per his Swiss League team, Alex Formenton is granted leave and returning to Canada"
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The news comes amid ongoing updates from Hockey Canada regarding an investigation into alleged sexual assault involving members of the 2018 Canada World Juniors hockey team.
The situation has been marked by several players taking leaves of absence, raising eyebrows and fueling speculation within the fan base.
In response to the announcement, fans took to social media to express their thoughts and concerns. One fan hinted at the ongoing investigation, stating,
"So we know 3 of the 5,"
Another fan expressed skepticism,
"Yea… granted leave to come back to Canada and go to jail."
A fan noted the perceived knowledge within the league about the involved players. He tweeted,
"Make note fans. Senators didn’t offer a 2nd round pick with 18 goals a contract. Everyone in this league knew who the players were and continued to let them play and pay them well like Carter Hart,"
Alex Formenton joins multiple NHL players in taking mysterious leave of absence
The Ottawa Senators Alex Formenton's leave of absence comes in the wake of other teams also giving leave of absence to their key players. For now, the speculation is that they are the players involved in the alleged incidents involving the 2018 Canada World Juniors hockey team.
The other players who received leave of absence are the Flames' Dillon Dubé and the Flyers' Carter Hart. New Jersey Devils players include Michael McLeod and Cal Foote.
A look at events that unfolded in Hockey Canada scandal
The inquiry into an alleged sexual assault involving players from the 2018 Canada World Juniors hockey team may soon disclose the identities of those involved.
On January 24, The Globe and Mail reported that five players from the 2018 team were instructed to surrender in response to charges of sexual assault. Although the players' names have not been revealed, they have yet to face formal charges.
The investigation, initiated in 2022, gained traction when London, Ont., police found "reasonable grounds" to believe that five team members assaulted a woman in a hotel room following a Hockey Canada fundraising gala in 2018.
Initially closed by Canada Hockey in 2019, the case was reopened in 2022 due to public outcry and sponsor withdrawals.
