Will Fan Uproar Stop NHL Teams from Signing "Hockey Canada 5"?

In American sports, fan backlash sometimes works. Sometimes, teams bow before pressure and reject athletes accused of sexual assault. Other times, the scandal dies down.

The National Hockey League is facing a firestorm over the impending return of five players acquitted of sexual assault in a high-profile case.

All five were members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team, accused of sexually assaulting a woman after a Hockey Canada Foundation gala. Although they were declared not guilty in July, this has not quashed outrage from fans and even sponsors.

The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes, rumored to be interested in two of the players, have already felt the heat. Vegas appeared to revoke a reporter’s credentials for asking about the case, while Hurricanes fans are threatening boycotts.

This brings up a topic that comes up again and again in American sports: how to reconcile a legal acquittal with a public that isn’t ready to forgive or forget.

The 5 Canadian hockey players were found not guilty of sexual assault, but are not finding it easy to return. Source: Reuters

Who are the Hockey Canada 5?

On June 18, 2018, Canada’s U20 World Juniors hockey…