Five Team Canada 2018 juniors — Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod and Alex Formenton — will be eligible to sign with NHL clubs on Oct. 15 after acquittals, under a settlement with the NHLPA. They remain suspended until Dec. 1 as the league upholds standards of conduct, and all five become unrestricted free agents with expired contracts. Hart and McLeod carried notable NHL résumés; Dubé and Foote have continued pro seasons abroad; Formenton, inactive since 2021-22, has moved to Switzerland. The resolution closes the dispute while signaling expected conduct from players going forward.

NHL clearance clears the path for five 2018 Canadian world-junior teammates to return to the league. Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod can sign new contracts no sooner than October 15, 2025 and play in games no sooner than December 1, 2025. The league’s independent review found conduct not meeting standards, though the court acquitted the players of criminal charges. Hockey Canada sanctions remain in place, and the players expressed remorse. Expect fantasy attention on Devils’ McLeod and Foote, Flyers’ Hart, and Flames’ Dubé as roles reset in 2025-26.

Fantasy implications center on lines, power-play usage, and the pace of their returns after long absences. Devils fans will watch McLeod and Foote to see if they regain top-9 and PP-time, while Hart’s timing could influence Flyers’ goaltending dynamics. Flames’ Dubé faces an uncertain but potentially rewarding path back into a deeper lineup. The broader culture discussion around Hockey Canada continues to echo in team plans and league policy debates.

NHL clears a path for five Hockey Canada acquitted players to return, with contract signing allowed on October 15 2025 and on-ice eligibility starting December 1 2025. The league notes the conduct fell short of standards but has laid out a formal reintegration, bringing these veterans back into play after about a 20‑month absence as free agents.

The five are Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton and Carter Hart. Formenton recently joined Ambrì Piotta in Switzerland after an extended leave. The NHLPA welcomed the nearing end of disciplinary action, while fantasy players gauge late 2025 roster shakeups and potential value as these players attempt to reclaim roles on their next teams.

With the calendar turning, fantasy managers should monitor goaltending stability for Hart, and potential line changes for McLeod Dube Foote and Formenton. Late returns can create surprise boosts in depth charts and power play units, but the long layoff and team fit introduce significant risk and opportunity as rosters reshape for 2025 26.

NHL confirms an 84-game regular season and a new Retired Players Emergency Healthcare and Wellness Fund of 4 million annually to support current and former players with family doctors and mental-health services. The deal also boosts retiree insurance subsidies to 10,000 per year and cements long-term post-care protections for alumni through 2030, with players like Robert Thomas highlighting pensions and health benefits as a top priority. The package coexists with talks on Olympic participation, a decentralized draft, and ongoing governance efforts around Hockey Canada matters.