Hart, McLeod, Dube, Foote, Formenton charged with sexual assault

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

TSN just dropped an article stating the 5 players are the ones being charged. Bad look for the Flames now knowing Dube will be charged as he was the only one to cite mental health as his reason for leaving and almost certainly confirms why he played like crap all year.

Sources confirm NHL players facing charges in sexual assault investigation
https://www.tsn.ca/1.2069570

Again not sure why this is something people can't understand.
He could have been in mental crisis and under active care while still being one of the players charged.
Both can be true.

[Hot_Flatus]

This is obviously not on the Flames, but I do find it hard to believe that they had no inclination of this before granting a mental health leave or whatever they had to do in that process.

They should certainly own that as a mistake and move on sooner than later now that it is crystal clear Dube was involved.

I would hope once a plea bargain or whatever is conclusion here that all of these players have their NHL contracts voided at the nearest opportunity as well.

[jlh2640]

Dube and his mental health leave better be rectified by the Flames at some point.

[Royle9]

Damn.
Be better Dillon, embarrassing (understatement)

[Ashasx]

I am hoping that the Flames act swiftly and appropriately to terminate Dube's contract.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

I wonder how Ottawa knew? (Assuming they knew and just did not decide not to sign a 6’3 22 year old power forward who got 18 goals in his rookie year).

I don't know what the Flames knew and when, but Ottawa was in a position to just let the player walk at a time after the news broke. Dube signed a multi-year deal just before, and this July would be the first opportunity that the Flames could just walk away cleanly.

If the Flames knew this was coming for a long time, it would be disappointing that they wouldn't just waive him and hope he goes somewhere else or try to buy him out.

Regarding the mental health excuse, if that was the reason Dube used, then the Flames would have to go with that. Not a good look though.

[SuperMatt18]

I would assume the Flames knew when they released the statement saying "Mental Health". If I had heard rumors that Hart and Dube were involved on Friday afternoon, then I'm sure the Flames knew. I'm not that connected to the team.

Just a ridiculous approach from the team that also impacts other players. How do Kylington and Andersson feel right now having answered questions about Dube and his mental health and saying that they hope he gets the help he needs, etc.

Just ridiculous from the Flames organization to think that was the right decision.

[Yeah_Baby]

I hate being right

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

This is obviously not on the Flames, but I do find it hard to believe that they had no inclination of this before granting a mental health leave or whatever they had to do in that process.

They should certainly own that as a mistake and move on sooner than later now that it is crystal clear Dube was involved.

I would hope once a plea bargain or whatever is conclusion here that all of these players have their NHL contracts voided at the nearest opportunity as well.

Everyone had an inclination
But an employer can't do much with inclinations.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Again not sure why this is something people can't understand.
He could have been in mental crisis and under active care while still being one of the players charged.
Both can be true.

I agree both can be true but the timing just kinda sucks, especially for something like mental health that still has a stigma attached to it. In general I think it takes courage to come forward and say you are having mental health issues. It is just unfortunate timing that (assuming he does have mental health issues) that he came forward with those issues days before he would have to take a leave of absence as someone facing significant jail time.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Again not sure why this is something people can't understand.
He could have been in mental crisis and under active care while still being one of the players charged.
Both can be true.

Looking around on other forums, twitter, reddit, it seems like only Flames fans are defending the Flames (or Dube's) use of mental illness as reason for the leave.

Personally, I would like the Flames to clarify the situation. I don't like it at all.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I would assume the Flames knew when they released the statement saying "Mental Health". If I had heard rumors that Hart and Dube were involved on Friday afternoon, then I'm sure the Flames knew. I'm not that connected to the team.

Just a ridiculous approach from the team that also impacts other players. How do Kylington and Andersson feel right now having answered questions about Dube and his mental health and saying that they hope he gets the help he needs, etc.

Just ridiculous from the Flames organization to think that was the right decision.

May not have had a choice. Better believe there were lawyers involved in the writing of that statement.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I would assume the Flames knew when they released the statement saying "Mental Health". If I had heard rumors that Hart and Dube were involved on Friday afternoon, then I'm sure the Flames knew. I'm not that connected to the team.

Just a ridiculous approach from the team that also impacts other players. How do Kylington and Andersson feel right now having answered questions about Dube and his mental health and saying that they hope he gets the help he needs, etc.

Just ridiculous from the Flames organization to think that was the right decision.

This is pretty much where I am.

I agree with Jiri that both things can be true but from a PR crisis management perspective they really messed up

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Again not sure why this is something people can't understand.
He could have been in mental crisis and under active care while still being one of the players charged.
Both can be true.

That's not why the program is in play now and allowing that to be a possible path for someone to take (instead of a leave of absence) is gross when you compare it to someone like Kylington, who legitimately had a mental health issue.

Dube may be in a mental health crisis, but this is almost certainly because he was allegedly involved in a deplorable circumstance and not simply because he's having a mental health crisis.

I don't know how you avoid this with future circumstances, but it seriously gives the mental health thing a black eye when it is abused like it just was by Dube imho.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I am hoping that the Flames act swiftly and appropriately to terminate Dube's contract.

I don't disagree on principle but I suspect it might end up being far more palatable (and expedient) for all involved to let that contract quietly expire in six months instead of staging a resource-intensive legal battle over the validity of said termination.

[Lonestar]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

This is obviously not on the Flames, but I do find it hard to believe that they had no inclination of this before granting a mental health leave or whatever they had to do in that process.

They should certainly own that as a mistake and move on sooner than later now that it is crystal clear Dube was involved.

I would hope once a plea bargain or whatever is conclusion here that all of these players have their NHL contracts voided at the nearest opportunity as well.

My point exactly. How the Flames deal with the issue from this point forward is paramount.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Again not sure why this is something people can't understand.
He could have been in mental crisis and under active care while still being one of the players charged.
Both can be true.

They didn't say Kylington's was a "mental health" leave right out the gate, should have followed the same practice here.

It was a stupid decision and they should have just said he was on a leave of absence like other teams did.

I said it before if you're Rasmus Andersson how stupid do you feel right now that you had to answer questions about Dube's mental health and blamed it on the "twitter monsters"

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

May not have had a choice. Better believe there were lawyers involved in the writing of that statement.

They should get better lawyers then because the other teams seemed to figure out how to not blame it on mental health.

[Toonage]

All fair and understandable points. Just a very disappointing moment.

[rohara66]

I get that people are pissed at the Flames.... but is Craig Conroy suppose to be playing detective in his free time?



I have zero doubt Dube is shown the door when/if there is sufficient evidence that his involvement was even remotely questionable (ie: when he is charged).



But of course nobody is saying anything yet... safe to assume the legality of terminating a contract is a tricky task.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I don't disagree on principle but I suspect it might end up being far more palatable (and expedient) for all involved to let that contract quietly expire in six months instead of staging a resource-intensive legal battle over the validity of said termination.

Yeah, I don't care. I think optics matter in this kind of thing, and it is absolutely worth it to indicate to all parties, public and private, that this behavior has no business in sports.

Player contracts have been terminated for far less.