A scandal that shook Canadian hockey
The new documentary 'Code of Misconduct' pulls back the curtain on a case that erupted in the summer of 2018, when five members of Canada’s World Junior hockey team were accused of sexual assault. The film, which debuted at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in April, offers an in‑depth look at the courtroom proceedings and the trial that followed.
The courtroom drama
Over eight weeks, prosecutors presented their case against the five players — Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton — but the Crown’s evidence was ultimately deemed insufficient, leading to an acquittal that left many questioning the investigative process.
Accessing the film from abroad
Although the documentary is currently available only in Canada on Super Channel Plus and FuboTV, U.S. viewers have turned to VPN services such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN to bypass regional restrictions. Both providers advertise 30‑day money‑back guarantees, with plans starting at $3.49 per month for ExpressVPN and $3.09 per month for NordVPN.
The film’s focus on Carter Hart, the only player among the five still competing in the NHL, adds a contemporary twist. His 2025 return to the league on a reported $4 million contract sparked intense discourse among hockey fans, highlighting the lingering impact of the 2018 scandal.
Beyond the individual narratives, the documentary interrogates the response of Hockey Canada and the broader culture of silence that can surround elite sport, weaving together legal testimony, personal interviews and behind‑the‑scenes footage to create a portrait of a scandal that continues to reverberate across rinks, boardrooms and living rooms.