(Photo credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images)

The NHL announced on Thursday that the five players acquitted on sexual assault charges six weeks ago will be eligible to resume their careers during the 2025-26 league season.

The decision declared that Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Cal Foote and Michael McLeod are unrestricted free agents and may sign contracts with any team. Those contracts can be registered with the NHL on Oct. 15, the players may begin conditioning on Nov. 15 and can appear in a game on Dec. 1.

The fifth player, Alex Formenton, is a restricted free agent who is still on the Ottawa Senators' reserve list. He would have to reach a deal with the team by Dec. 1 to be eligible for NHL games in 2025-26. However, Formenton signed with Swiss team Ambri-Piotta last week, so his playing situation is unclear.

All five of the players were members of Canada's 2018 World Junior hockey team that were charged with sexual assault in connection with an incident in a London, Ontario hotel in June 2018.

After an earlier mistrial and two dismissed juries, Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia of the Ontario Court of Justice said she didn't find the complainant's evidence 'credible or reliable' on July 24.

'I cannot rely upon the evidence of (the accuser) and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me,' Carroccia said.

Later that day, the NHL announced that the players remained ineligible.

Due to the collective bargaining agreement, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has the power to penalize players for off-ice conduct which he considers detrimental to the league.

In a statement on Thursday, the league said that it 'has determined that the conduct at issue falls woefully short of the standards and values that the league and its member clubs expect and demand.

'Each of the players, based on in-person meetings with the league following the verdicts, expressed regret and remorse for his actions,' the statement continued. 'Nevertheless, we believe their conduct requires formal league-imposed discipline.

'The league expects and requires that, going forward, each of the players will uphold the standards required of NHL players both on and off the ice.'

The NHLPA, which disagreed with the NHL's actions in July, responded with a conciliatory statement on Thursday.

'To avoid a protracted dispute that would cause further delay, we reached the resolution that the league announced,' the union said in a statement. 'We now consider the matter closed and look forward to the players' return.'

Besides Formenton, the other four were active NHL players, who did not receive qualifying offers in June 2024, making them free agents.

Dube, 27, was a member of the Calgary Flames, while Foote, 26, and McLeod, 27, last played with the New Jersey Devils. Hart, 27, was the No. 1 goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers.

--Field Level Media