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Editor’s Note: This story includes references to sexual assault and may be distressing to some readers.
Damon Severson, who played for the Nashville Predators in 24 games during the 2022-23 season, was one of five former Canadian junior hockey players who were found not guilty on Thursday in connection to a sexual assault case from 2018. Severson, along with Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, and Dillon Dube, faced accusations of sexually assaulting a woman identified only as EM, who alleged she was assaulted for several hours in a hotel room in London, Ontario, in June 2018. The players had been in London celebrating their gold medal win at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship held previously in Buffalo, New York. Ontario Supreme Court Judge Maria Carrotcha stated in her ruling that she did not find the testimony of EM to be “reliable.”
More comprehensive details and rulings on the case are available here:
[Image caption: All five former World Junior players were acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial. Warning: Content related to sexual assault may be disturbing.]
Severson was selected 14th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017 and spent six and a half seasons alternating between the NHL and AHL before being traded midseason to Nashville. The Predators acquired Severson from Tampa in exchange for Tanner Jeannot and five future draft picks. Over 24 games with Nashville, he scored four points. During the offseason, he signed with the New Jersey Devils as a free agent but spent the majority of his time playing for their AHL affiliate in Utica.
In January 2024, following the sexual assault allegations, the Devils granted Severson an indefinite leave of absence but chose not to re-sign him. Last season, he played for HK Liptovsky Miklas in Slovakia’s top professional league, the Slovakia Extra Riga. None of the accused players were active in the NHL last season.
Fan Take: This verdict is significant for hockey fans as it underscores the ongoing challenges the sport faces in addressing off-ice conduct and player accountability. Moving forward, transparency and stronger institutional measures are crucial in maintaining trust and integrity within hockey communities.
