Kraken News First
Kraken center Yanni Gourde was the first player on the ice at practice on Thursday, shooting pucks and preparing for his return to the Seattle line-up on Friday night. The 32-year-old lefty sat out two games due to suspension following his major charging penalty against Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm last week.
It appears Kraken forwards Jaden Schwartz and Eeli Tolvanen took maintenance days.
2nd-year center Matty Beniers practiced with the 4th line and could be a game day decision on Friday for the home game against the St. Louis Blues.
NHL Legal Trouble
“Criminal trouble’ likely a more accurate description, keeping in mind that all suspects are innocent until proven guilty. That said, five members of Team Canada’s 2018 World Junior Championship squad, four of them presently playing in the NHL and the other in Europe, have been ordered to turn themselves in to London, Ontario police.
Reporter Rick Westhead of TSN in Canada has stayed on top of the investigation throughout and has broken a number of stories.
The investigation surrounding their involvement in an alleged sexual assault in London following a Hockey Canada gala in 2018 has finally entered the arrest and potential prosecution phase.
The players started popping up on transactions and various team press releases this past week while taking “personal leaves of absence.” The teams and the NHL have not provided further comment.
NBC News reported: “Those granted leave are NHL players Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils, Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers and Dillon Dubé of the Calgary Flames. Former NHL player Alex Formenton, who now plays with Swiss club HC Ambrì-Piotta, is the fifth player.”
Charges have not yet been filed. The complainant reached a civil settlement in 2022.
Hockey Canada suffered a major credibility blow and a restructuring in 2022 after it was learned they attemped to cover up this investigation and others.
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken Morning After; Step 1 Of 4, Hakstol And Tatar
