The Detroit Red Wings could look to add another depth defenseman with Cal Foote available following the controversial Hockey Canada legal cases.
The hockey news cycle has taken a significant turn following the acquittal of five Hockey Canada players who were at the center of a long-standing criminal and civil case involving an alleged sexual assault in a hotel room.
Dillon Dubé (Forward – Calgary Flames), Michael McLeod (Centre – New Jersey Devils), Alex Formenton (Forward – Ottawa Senators), Cal Foote (Defenceman – New Jersey Devils), and Carter Hart (Goaltender – Philadelphia Flyers) were all found not guilty. The court reached this decision after determining that the complainant’s testimony contained inconsistencies, and crucial video evidence contradicted key aspects of her account. As a result, the allegations were deemed to lack sufficient credibility and legal merit.
Following the conclusion of the trial, the NHL stated that the players will be allowed to sign with a team on October 15th and could return to playing full-time on December 1st. It begs the question of if NHL General Managers are willing to outweigh talent over controversy and take in a player that could create a dramatic scene around the organization?
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Insider reports have come out on the players and that some teams are reportedly looking to add some of the players. One of the most highly-talked about names is Hart, as he’s a quality starting goaltender that is talented enough to take over a starting job with one mentioned contender being the Edmonton Oilers. One name out of the five that could be looked at in Detroit is Cal Foote.
The 6-foot-4 physical defenseman was once considered a top prospect, selected 14th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, before his career was impacted by the criminal case. Still just 26 years old, Foote has shown he can contribute effectively, even if not through flashy point totals. He holds a career +24 rating in the NHL and made the most of his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2020 to 2023, appearing in 117 games while averaging just over 13 minutes per night in a bottom-pairing role.
Despite limited ice time, he made a noticeable impact, ranking third among Tampa defensemen (with at least 60 games played) in hits per 60 minutes (6.24) and fourth in blocked shots per 60 (4.08) during that span.
He was eventually moved to Nashville and then signed with New Jersey ahead of the 2023-24 season before leaving the team to go through the legal system with the criminal case. He still put up solid numbers with the Devils with a points and a +3 rating through four games. He could be looked at as a lottery ticket option for the Red Wings similar to recent signing Jacob Benard-Docker as Foote is a rare right-shot defenseman and could be valuable on the team’s third pairing.
He is at least worth an extended look as he is one of the players involved in the case to be getting second looks from NHL teams.
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