Another 2018 World Junior acquitted player returns to NHL amid controversy

The opening of NHL free agency always brings surprises, but few signings on July 1 carried as much baggage as the one the St. Louis Blues quietly made official.

The Blues have signed forward Dillon Dube to a one-year contract worth $850,000, paving the way for his return to the NHL after an absence of more than two and a half years. Dube has not appeared in an NHL game since January 2024, when his career was derailed by his involvement in the Hockey Canada World Junior Championship sexual assault trial.

Dube was ultimately acquitted of all charges in the case. But as other players tied to the same scandal have discovered, an acquittal does not necessarily shield a player or his new team from intense public scrutiny and fan anger.

The signing did not come entirely out of nowhere. Blues insider Jeremy Rutherford had previously reported that there was "a strong chance that the 27-year-old forward signs a free-agent contract with St. Louis and plays in the middle for the Blues," citing a league source.

Dube spent this past season rebuilding his professional career in the American Hockey League with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues' AHL affiliate. He performed well there, reportedly posting 20 goals and 17 assists for 37 points across 46 games. That production apparently convinced St. Louis that he was worth the risk.

The risk, however, is not limited to on-ice performance. The Blues need only look at the experience of goaltender Carter Hart, another player connected to the same Hockey Canada case. Hart landed with the Vegas Golden Knights, but the controversy followed him, and was criticized more than once for his past as the team continuously protected him from tough media during media appearances.

More time has passed since the trial than when Hart first attempted his comeback, which could soften the reaction somewhat. Still, the Blues should be prepared for pointed questions and vocal opposition from portions of their own fan base and the broader hockey community.