Red Wings could pursue defenceman Cal Foote pending court judgement on criminal case.
The Detroit Red Wings are in still in need of one more addition to their top six as well as depth on the blueline. There's not many options left available but there may be more options joining the board.
In 2024, five players from Team Canada’s 2018 World Junior hockey team—Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, and Alex Formenton—were charged with sexual assault related to an alleged incident in London, Ontario. The five players have all pled not guilty and a verdict will come out sometime within the afternoon or evening on Thursday.
Insider reports have come out that NHL are mildly looking at adding the involved players only if they are proven to be innocent of all crimes. 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.
Could Carter Hart Be Added As Detroit's Backup Goalie?Insider reports indicate NHL teams are looking into former starting goaltender Carter Hart pending the results of a criminal case.
He could be worth an extended look as other teams are reportedly looking at Foote as a depth option but this is all dependent on the result of the criminal case. From early reports and quotes coming out of the courtroom are that the players will be found not guilty but no verdict has been announced yet.
The 6-foot-4 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 defenceman and could be valuable on the team's third pairing.
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