NHL teams face a talent-versus-backlash dilemma as five acquitted players become eligible to sign. Carter Hart is viewed as the clearest on-ice asset likely to attract a strong starting role, while McLeod, Dubé, Foote, and Formenton must navigate reputational risk and varying resumes. The league and PA push for a return, but teams will weigh public reaction against potential production.

For fantasy ecosystems, Hart’s market value could surge on a contender with solid defense; others offer lower, more PR-sensitive upside. Formenton has slid to Europe; the others remain unproven at top-tier levels post-trial, making signing decisions a mix of talent, role certainty, and organizational messaging.

The saga underscores how culture, accountability, and performance intersect in roster-building, creating volatile climate for signings and sudden shifts in fantasy projections as teams balance optics with win-now needs.

Landon Sim, 21, is in rookie camp with the Marlies after signing as a free agent, intent on climbing from junior success to pro status. A summer training moment with John Tavares created a tangible Leafs link, underscoring a lineage of competitiveness and earned grit. Sim’s path weaves through Memorial Cup pedigree, Blues exhibitions, and a network of rising Maple Leafs prospects, with a Montreal weekend tournament as a proving ground.

He’s driven by a family legacy (his father Jon Sim won the Stanley Cup) and the mentorship style of Craig Berube, a coach who values hard work. The feature traces his ties to Easton Cowan, Ben Danford and Jacob Quillan, his London Knights roots, and his bid to translate AHL promise into an NHL opportunity.