Free agent center Michael McLeod has signed a one-year contract with Kazakhstan’s Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League, the team announced. The former Devil is one of five players awaiting trial after being charged with sexual assault in connection to an alleged 2018 assault involving members of the Canadian men’s national junior team. McLeod is the only one of the group facing two counts’ worth of charges, the London Police Service confirmed in January.
Four of the five players charged were signed to NHL contracts last season – McLeod, Callan Foote, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart. All were slated to become RFAs at the end of the season, but none were given qualifying offers by their respective teams, who relinquished their signing rights.
McLeod is the second player facing charges to sign a contract to play in the KHL this season. Dube signed a one-year deal with Dinamo Minsk last month.
There’s no set date for a jury trial for the five players in question yet, although it may come soon. After a virtual pre-trial hearing in June, the justice overseeing the case told the players’ legal representatives “to return to the courtroom on August 13 to ’potentially’ firm up the dates for the jury trial” (via Ian Mendes of The Athletic).
The KHL’s preseason is already underway. The league’s regular season starts in early September.
McLeod, who the Devils drafted 12th overall in 2016, had 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 45 games last season before taking leave from the team in advance of the charges.
Surprised the comments section hasn’t been closed. Surprised there haven’t been any comments. I’m impressed that people showed the restraint I didn’t have.