Cal Foote acquitted return to professional hockey with Chicago Wolves: A second chance story unfolds

The road to acquittal and NHL reinstatement

The legal proceedings that unfolded throughout 2024 captivated the hockey world and raised difficult questions about due process, accountability, and second chances. Cal Foote stood trial alongside Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, and Dillon Dube, all members of Canada’s gold medal-winning 2018 world junior team. The charges stemmed from allegations dating back to June 2018, when the team was celebrating its championship victory in London, Ontario.

In July 2024, after a trial that examined evidence and testimony from the night in question, all five players were acquitted of sexual assault charges. The verdict cleared their legal records but left their professional futures in limbo as the NHL conducted its own review process. The league had immediately suspended the players when charges were filed, removing them from team rosters and preventing them from participating in any hockey-related activities.

The NHL’s decision to allow the players to return came in September 2025, when the league announced they would be eligible to sign new contracts beginning October 15 and could return to game action on December 1. This carefully structured timeline gave teams a window to evaluate the players while also providing what the league described as necessary time for organizational due diligence. For Foote, this meant waiting months after his acquittal before he could even begin negotiating his return to professional hockey.

Cal Foote signs AHL contract with Chicago Wolves after acquittal marks return

The Chicago Wolves officially announced Foote’s signing on December 1, 2025, making him the latest of the acquitted players to find a new home in professional hockey. The AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes welcomed the 6’4” defenseman to their roster, providing him an opportunity to rebuild his career in North America’s top minor league.

Foote’s contract with Chicago represents a strategic move for both parties. For the Wolves, they gain a defenseman with 145 games of NHL experience who can immediately bolster their blue line and provide veteran leadership. For Foote, the AHL offers a familiar environment where he can regain his form and potentially earn another NHL opportunity. The Wolves have a reputation for developing NHL-ready talent, making them an ideal landing spot for a player seeking to prove he still belongs at hockey’s highest level.

The decision to sign with an AHL team rather than pursuing opportunities in European leagues, like some of his former teammates, suggests Foote’s determination to climb back to the NHL through the traditional North American development path. His familiarity with the AHL—having played 56 games with the Utica Comets during the 2023-24 season—should ease his transition and allow him to focus on his on-ice performance rather than adapting to a new style of play overseas.

Where the other acquitted players landed

Cal Foote’s situation is part of a broader story involving all five players from the 2018 world junior team. Each has taken a different path back to professional hockey following their acquittals:

• Carter Hart took the most direct route back to the NHL, signing with the Vegas Golden Knights in mid-October. The goaltender could make his season debut as early as Tuesday, making him the first of the group to potentially return to NHL game action. His signing generated significant media attention and debate about whether the NHL’s most prominent league should welcome back the acquitted players.

• Michael McLeod signed a three-year contract with Avangard Omsk of the KHL in October, continuing his career in Russia after originally signing with Barys Astana in Kazakhstan last season. McLeod, who was also acquitted of an additional count of being party to the offense of sexual assault, represents the most established career among the group, having been a key contributor for the New Jersey Devils before the charges.

• Alex Formenton has been playing for HC Ambri-Piotta in the Swiss Hockey League since 2022, a move that predated the charges but effectively removed him from the NHL ecosystem. The Ottawa Senators had opted not to re-sign him before the trial, making his path back to North American hockey uncertain.

• Dillon Dube spent the 2024-25 season with Dinamo Minsk in the KHL but has not played this season, leaving his future in professional hockey unclear. The 27-year-old winger’s situation highlights how each player’s career trajectory has been uniquely affected by the trial and its aftermath.

Foote’s decision to sign with the Chicago Wolves places him in the middle of this spectrum—returning to North America but starting in the AHL rather than immediately securing an NHL roster spot.

Cal Foote’s NHL journey before the trial

Before the legal troubles that paused his career, Cal Foote was establishing himself as a reliable NHL defenseman with a pedigree that suggested a long future in the league. As the son of former NHL defenseman Adam Foote and brother of current professional player Nolan Foote, Cal grew up with hockey in his blood.

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Foote 14th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, investing significant draft capital in the 6’4” defenseman known for his two-way capabilities and outstanding hockey sense. Scouts praised his ability to read plays quickly and understand both offensive and defensive responsibilities. After developing in the AHL, Foote made his NHL debut with the Lightning and eventually played 108 games for the organization.

His journey included stops with the Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils, where he played four games during the 2023-24 season before the charges were filed. Across his 145-game NHL career, Foote recorded 5 goals and 15 assists, establishing himself as a dependable depth defenseman capable of playing sound positional hockey while using his size effectively against opposing forwards.

The pause in his career cost him his contract with the Devils, who declined to extend a qualifying offer in the summer of 2024, making him a free agent. Now, with the Chicago Wolves, Foote has the opportunity to rebuild the momentum he had established in his young NHL career.

What this means for hockey and second chances

The return of Cal Foote and his former teammates to professional hockey has sparked intense debate within the hockey community about second chances, accountability, and the league’s responsibility to players acquitted of serious charges. While the legal system found them not guilty, the court of public opinion remains divided on whether they should be welcomed back to the sport.

The NHL’s decision to allow their return followed what the league described as a thorough review process. In September, the league stated the players would be eligible to sign contracts beginning October 15, with game eligibility starting December 1. This structured approach gave teams time to conduct their own due diligence while also acknowledging the legal outcome of the trial.

For the Chicago Wolves and their parent organization, the Carolina Hurricanes, signing Foote represents a calculated risk. The team gains a player with significant NHL experience at the AHL level, but must also navigate the public relations implications. The Wolves join the Vegas Golden Knights as organizations willing to provide opportunities to the acquitted players, while other teams have remained on the sidelines.

The broader implications for hockey remain uncertain. Will these players face additional scrutiny from fans and media? How will their teammates respond in the locker room? And perhaps most importantly, what message does their return send about how professional sports handles cases of this nature? These questions will likely follow Foote throughout his time with the Chicago Wolves and beyond.

Cal Foote’s return to professional hockey with the Chicago Wolves after being acquitted represents more than just another player signing—it embodies the complex intersection of justice, accountability, and redemption in modern professional sports. While the legal system has rendered its verdict, the hockey world continues to grapple with what comes next for players whose careers were interrupted by criminal charges that ultimately did not result in convictions.

The Chicago Wolves provide Foote a crucial stepping stone in what he hopes will be a path back to the NHL. His performance in the AHL will be watched closely not just by the Hurricanes organization, but by the entire hockey community eager to see whether he can recapture the form that once made him a first-round draft pick. For now, Foote’s focus must remain on the ice, where he has the opportunity to rebuild his career one game at a time, writing the next chapter of a story that once seemed to have reached an abrupt and permanent conclusion.