Former NHLer surrenders to police amid 2018 sexual assault case: report
A former NHL player has reportedly surrendered to London, Ontario police after being connected to a 2018 sexual assault.
The Globe and Mail’s Robyn Doolittle and Colin Freeze reported this morning that former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenten was among the five players who were ordered to surrender themselves to police following the completion of the investigation.
The report also included a statement from Forementen’s defence lawyers, Daniel Brown and Lindsay Board, that argued Forementon’s innocence.
“The London Police have charged several players, including Alex Formenton, in connection with an accusation made in 2018. Alex will vigorously defend his innocence and asks that people not rush to judgment without hearing all of the evidence,” the statement read.
BREAKING: Alex Formenton, a former NHL player with the Ottawa Senators and 2018 junior player, has turned himself into London police. "Alex will vigorously defend his innocence and asks that people not rush to judgment without hearing all of the evidence.” https://t.co/7zjnNqvJsK
— Robyn Doolittle (@robyndoolittle) January 28, 2024
The incident at hand allegedly took place in 2018 after a gala honouring that year’s Canadian World Juniors team for winning gold. At least five players from that team are alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel room.
Formenton last played with the Senators during the 2021-22 season, scoring 32 points in 79 games. However, he was left unsigned by an NHL team following that season and left to play hockey in Switzerland with Ambri-Piotta.
That team recently released a statement saying that they had granted Forementon a leave of absence and that he had returned to Canada.
Alex Formenton has left HC Ambri Piotta and returned to Canada. The Swiss team calls it "an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons." https://t.co/LkoFmCbBn6
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 24, 2024
The other players involved in the investigation are not yet known. The London Police Department did say that they would be holding a news conference to provide more details on the case on February 5.
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