I could totally see him using a shovel to push snow off his ‘83 Oldsmobile while wearing a suit and overcoat and one of those hats that has a fringe of what passed for take fur in 1978. He’d be a natural up there.
Around the NHL 2025 playoff edition
- Thread starter NJDevs26
- Start date
I could totally see him using a shovel to push snow off his ‘83 Oldsmobile while wearing a suit and overcoat and one of those hats that has a fringe of what passed for take fur in 1978. He’d be a natural up there.
KovalchukFistPump
Too lazy to change username
Man if I've gotten anything it's that this board really hates McLeod and wants him to be guilty
I don't think most folks want to address the trial anymore. You see a few posts pop up now and again but I'm sure most just want to put it in the past. I mean who wants to think the guy they cheered for was capable of what he's accused of? Yuck. I have seen multiple reports suggest the judge does not have the sort of evidence needed to convict (at least of the serious charges and at least so far). If that happens, I expect these guys to all be reinstated for next season. I would be shocked if the guys who were producive prior to "stepping away" aren't offered at least PTOs if not actual one year prove it deals. If they are acquitted the league likely has its hands tied by the NHLPA.
Clam Jensen
Registered User
Methinks there’s juuuuuust a tad more nuance to it than that.
KovalchukFistPump
Too lazy to change username
I think people should start to treat the five differently since each one will be sentenced separately. The evidence put so far puts a very different picture on what McLeod was doing. I assume the prosecution is trying to get a conviction on Dube in particular by calling Howden to the stand. I don't understand why they brought in Steenbergen as everything he said only helped the defense. Maybe they will go after Cal Foote too for his act.
ZachaFlockaFlame
Registered User
- Aug 24, 2020
- 14,579
- 27,302
Some of it is probably sour grapes of leaving us high and dry after putting so much work into making him a viable NHLer since 2016 and then he had this disgusting shit in his past.
I have only read some of the summary coverage. I do not want to dwell on what did or did not happen. I hope justice is done but at this point I'm skeptical. You also presume that these guys get sentenced at all. If the judge finds equivocal evidence and delivers an angry speech about how what they did was morally reprehensible but then says the evidence did not prove rens mea and she has to acquit them, they walk out of the courtroom as free men.
KovalchukFistPump
Too lazy to change username
This is a Trial by Public Opinion though. Especially now that the publication ban is over and we read details from why London police originally investigated the case and decided not to pursue it, as well as the Crown's suggestion to EM that it's a low probability conviction and that public opinion might start going against them if everything goes public. Just shows to me that it wasn't a grand conspiracy to protect privileged men as it first seemed.
I'm saying this because the evidence presented so far makes it seem like 99% not guilty since these were all Prosecution witnesses. Now the Defense will call witnesses on the stand who will try to sway public opinion even more to try to prove full consent.
Even presuming consent what is wrong with these kids that they think pulling some sort of train is normal?
TrufleShufle
Registered User
- Aug 31, 2012
- 7,789
- 15,416
That's where I stood originally, but a lot of the testimony so far makes it seem less and less like a bunch of dudes making a girl just be ok with what they all planned on doing to her. With out getting too much into the weeds here, you can read bits of what came out last week,
Now, you have to assume this is all factual to be able to jump to a different conclusion, which makes it hard to have any sort of opinion on the matter. It's hard to imagine a bunch of drunk dudes became deer in the headlights, but that's what's being said if none of it is made up or exaggerated. All sounds like a big mess regardless.
McLeod will be back. Hart will be back. Dube will probably be back.
Cal Foote is probably done. He wasn't even an NHLer before the ban. Maybe he joins Vancouver because nepotism.
Formenton retired and probably not coming back so he can force a huge lawsuit on the Senators.
Cal Foote is probably done. He wasn't even an NHLer before the ban. Maybe he joins Vancouver because nepotism.
Formenton retired and probably not coming back so he can force a huge lawsuit on the Senators.
Without seeing the witnessss and the tenor of the testimony it’s hard to know how credible anyone might be. Like you said it’s just a mess.
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,898
- 37,426
Yes though the fact McLeod was the proported 'ringleader' doesn't exactly help either.
A handful of people only want him to be innocent for selfish reasons, because they think in some world he can still help the Devils on the ice even though he's not under contract and in a world where he is acquitted and not suspended any further, it's extremely unlikely he comes back here for multiple reasons. Or that he's even the same player he was for 'half' a season after nearly two years off, or more depending on when this ends.
Last edited:
None Shall Pass
Dano moisturizes
The discussion that has been brought up on this board about the trial so far has been, at best, extremely asinine and short-sighted.
This trial has been scheduled to go 8 weeks. We are on week number 3.
Who has testified so far? The woman and three hockey players who were in the room. 3 against 1, if you wanna look at it that way. Yeah, I wonder what 3 friends are going to say about their friends being accused of a crime, that they all coordinated their responses to in group chats when they found out they were being investigated.
Anyway, the CBC does a daily live blog during the trial. Been following it daily. It's excellent. Here's the link for today's: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/lond...ex-world-junior-players-judge-rules-9.6767504 (New link every day - I've had luck going to cbc.ca around 10am each day and clicking on the link on the top of the page to get that day's blog.)
Today, the Crown was tearing Howden up for "not remembering" what he TESTIFIED to in 2018. What did he testify back then?
-'other details, which include her weeping or other people in the room saying: “Baby, don’t leave.”'
-'Howden testified that he doesn’t remember the woman putting her clothes back on, but in 2018 said she would “start to get dressed.”'
-"Cunningham also read from a 2018 text message from Howden to world junior teammate Taylor Raddysh, in which he wrote: “Dude, I'm so happy I left when all the shit went down. Ha ha.”
And then he says: “Man, when I was leaving, Duber was smacking this girl's ass so hard. Like, it looks like it hurts so bad.”'
This trial has been scheduled to go 8 weeks. We are on week number 3.
Who has testified so far? The woman and three hockey players who were in the room. 3 against 1, if you wanna look at it that way. Yeah, I wonder what 3 friends are going to say about their friends being accused of a crime, that they all coordinated their responses to in group chats when they found out they were being investigated.
Anyway, the CBC does a daily live blog during the trial. Been following it daily. It's excellent. Here's the link for today's: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/lond...ex-world-junior-players-judge-rules-9.6767504 (New link every day - I've had luck going to cbc.ca around 10am each day and clicking on the link on the top of the page to get that day's blog.)
Today, the Crown was tearing Howden up for "not remembering" what he TESTIFIED to in 2018. What did he testify back then?
-'other details, which include her weeping or other people in the room saying: “Baby, don’t leave.”'
-'Howden testified that he doesn’t remember the woman putting her clothes back on, but in 2018 said she would “start to get dressed.”'
-"Cunningham also read from a 2018 text message from Howden to world junior teammate Taylor Raddysh, in which he wrote: “Dude, I'm so happy I left when all the shit went down. Ha ha.”
And then he says: “Man, when I was leaving, Duber was smacking this girl's ass so hard. Like, it looks like it hurts so bad.”'
- Dec 20, 2018
- 21,535
- 54,744
I don’t see how Formenton has a case against the Senators.
They made a Qualifying Offer in June 2022 that he declined and then they ended up not re-signing him. Teams aren’t legally required to re-sign RFAs.
Dorion then tried to trade his signing rights at the 2023 Draft and had no takers. He became a UFA after that.
He was playing his second season in Switzerland until the court case happened.
Formention is suing his former agent over negligence, claiming they never explained to him how Qualifying Offers work.
He’s taken it to court after he losing his case in Arbitration.
Alex Formenton asks court to set aside arbitrator's decision in fight with Newport Sports | TSN
Former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenton has asked a judge to set aside an arbitration decision that dismisses his claims of negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty against player agency Newport Sports Management Inc. and Wade Arnott, his former agent.
www.tsn.ca
Alex Formenton sues former agent for $20 million while awaiting trial for sexual assault
Formenton is suing Wade Arnott for negligence, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
www.nytimes.com
Last edited:
I don’t see how Formenton has a case against the Senators.
They made a Qualifying Offer in June 2022 that he declined and then they ended up not re-signing him. Teams aren’t legally required to re-sign RFAs.
Dorion then tried to trade his signing rights at the 2023 Draft and had no takers. He became a UFA after that.
He was playing his second season in Switzerland until the court case happened.
Formention is suing his former agent over negligence, claiming they never explained to him how Qualifying Offers work.
He’s to taken it court after he losing his case in Arbitration.
Alex Formenton asks court to set aside arbitrator's decision in fight with Newport Sports | TSN
Former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenton has asked a judge to set aside an arbitration decision that dismisses his claims of negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty against player agency Newport Sports Management Inc. and Wade Arnott, his former agent.
Alex Formenton sues former agent for $20 million while awaiting trial for sexual assault
Formenton is suing Wade Arnott for negligence, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
Arbitration is generally binding. There are always exceptions but you can’t end up in arbitration without some sort of agreement so I’m not sure what avenue the former player is using to overturn the arbitrator’s decision. I feel a bit bad for this judge who will have to make a very public decision and either way is going to be heavily criticized and perhaps face some public pushback beyond what’s reasonable.
If I've gotten anything from your nonstop posting about this subject since the weekend is that you care way too much about defending these guys that you don't even know.
I don't want these guys to be guilty because that means they did this stuff to a woman against her own will.
At the same time if there is a not guilty verdict that doesn't mean they were innocent either, just means there wasn't enough evidence to convict and with cases involving sexual assaults it's something that's not easy to prove.
Personally, if these guys are found not guilty I want the Devils to have nothing to do with any of them if they play again. I don't want to the team I give money to be involved in this baggage. I'm tired of reading about this story and I don't want potentially shitty people on this team.
Just like I wouldn't want Kane and Perry on this team and why I won't root for Edmonton just to see Adam win a cup.
thebeernerd
Nico Hischier, hot Nico
- Mar 21, 2025
- 612
- 1,085
If all five walk, I don't want us to have anything to do with any of them. Less out of what they did or didn't do, more out of how I don't want the Devils to deal with the PR backlash they'll get.
First Lou, now Shanny. There is an IRL Island of Misfit Toronto Hockey Executives.
First Lou, now Shanny. There is an IRL Island of Misfit Toronto Hockey Executives.
KovalchukFistPump
Too lazy to change username
And posts like this are why I keep posting about it. Trust me, I've thought long and hard about why I would want to make myself appear to defend privileged sports bros that acted like dbags at age 18. But like many of you, I posted about how I was shocked that Fitz would continue employing McLeod and also sign Cal Foote. This was right after the charges were laid out in detailed and everyone assumed the worst.
Now we have some new testimonies come out that paint a VERY different picture and of course I hear the "you're weird to focus on this, just move on".
Sports are a tool for people to take out their tribalism and hot takes. This board is kind of hilarious with it the way people find guys they hate and keep posting emotional posts against them. It was Salvador and Tallinder and Severson years ago and now in the playoffs it looks like it might be Dillon (i.e defensemen that are okay but get paid a bunch of money). I think McLeod has been sort of disliked since the beginning since he was a bad pick when compared to Chychrun and McAvoy.
Kane I get....but Corey Perry just got drunk at a function and said some crap things.
Last edited:
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,898
- 37,426
I think of it the other way around, I don’t want them to be innocent cause that means not only did she lie/exaggerate/be at least partially at fault and ruin a handful of careers over it, but more importantly every false flag or public acquittal also makes it ten times harder for future actual victims of assault.
KovalchukFistPump
Too lazy to change username
So you have a biased rooting interest here. I don't blame you for it, and at least you admit it.
I'll let you guys discuss here and see you on the main board. I'm trying to be objective based on the new evidence and if you think the stuff I say is bad, then don't go there and don't look at the comments on r/canada or r/hockey from the last week.
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,898
- 37,426
And you’re even more biased in favor of the ringleader, just like the rest of a handful of people here who can’t wait to use one little shard of testimony as an excuse to get on the soapbox over how we should resign this guy. Like someone else said we’re at week three of a two month trial at best. Would you give a shit about Mike McLeod or any of these other weasels if he wasn’t a key Devil on the ice in his last half season?
Clam Jensen
Registered User
Re: the last paragraph, after his performance in the Rangers series and how incredible he was playing pre-suspension, the far majority of us were heavily pumping his tires. He was the perfect 3C for this team and was playing the best hockey of his life. Prior to that yes, he was a bust.
If you can’t see why he’s disliked now I don’t know what to tell you (and this is coming from someone who is fully on board with innocent until proven guilty; the Duke lax scandal always weighs heavily when it comes to this stuff, because those poor kids almost had their lives ruined).
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,898
- 37,426
Honestly if this all dropped in like March 2023 nobody would give a **** about McLeod, just like nobody gives a **** about any of the others…the Game 7 goal and his half season after that where he played every game like it was last since it may well have been changed the calculus.
Clam Jensen
Registered User
100%, and rightly or wrongly it’s the reason this is so divisive (even though it shouldn’t be if any of the accusers testimony is true).
Users who are viewing this thread
Latest posts
-
-
-
Roster/Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2024-25: Re-Tool, Re-Group, Re-Mix, Re-Build (33 Viewers)
- Latest: NC 1972
-
