Defence to finish cross-examining hockey player at ex-teammates’ trial

By Canadian Press on May 27, 2025.

Defence lawyers are expected to finish cross-examining a former member of Canada’s world junior hockey team today at the sexual assault trial of five of his ex-teammates.

Brett Howden, who now plays in the NHL for the Vegas Golden Knights, began testifying by videoconference last Tuesday at the trial of Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote.

All five of the accused have pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, and McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.

The charges stem from an encounter that took place in a London, Ont., hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018.

At the time, many members of the 2018 national world junior team were in town for a series of events celebrating their championship win.

Howden has testified that he was in the hotel room with several other players for a period of time that night, but does not remember many details of what happened.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025.

The Canadian Press