NEW YORK — The NHL is reinstating five players who were acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018 when they were members of Canada’s world junior team, announcing Thursday they will be eligible to sign a contract Oct. 15 and take part in games Dec. 1.

The move comes roughly seven weeks since a judge in London, Ontario, found Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton not guilty. The Canadian government told lawyers for the players last month it would not appeal the ruling.

They were not in the NHL at the time of the incident.

None of the players had a current contract and all are free agents. Hart was with the Philadelphia Flyers, McLeod and Foote with the New Jersey Devils and Dube with the Calgary Flames, while Formenton was pl

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