Major junior hockey players who say they were abused while playing in the Ontario Hockey League or the Western Hockey League can join a legal action seeking financial compensation from their former teams, their leagues and the Canadian Hockey League. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has approved an opt-in process to allow former OHL and WHL players to seek financial compensation if they were abused, hazed, or bullied while playing in one of the leagues. Gerry Antman of the Toronto-based firm Koskie Minsky LLP will oversee the claims. His practice focuses on institutional abuse and other class actions that involve personal injuries. “This issue is widespread. There are tens of thousands of people who have played major junior hockey,” he said in an interview with CTV News on Monday morning. The opt-in process stems from the court not certifying a class action lawsuit proposed by former players Daniel Carcillo and Garrett Taylor against the CHL. It alleged that players have been subjected to ritualized hazing, racism, homophobia, sexual abuse and physical violence for decades, and that hockey organizations failed to adequately prevent or respond to that conduct. The lawsuit initially sought to proceed on behalf of roughly 15,000 players who had participated in major junior hockey since 1975. Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League players are not included in the opt-in process because a separate abuse class action involving the QMJHL is moving forward. Refused to certify However, QMJHL players who have opted out of that class action are eligible to join this court-approved process. None of the allegations has been proven in court. In 2023, the Superior Court of Ontario refused to certify the case as a class proceeding. Justice Paul Perell concluded that a single case involving dozens of teams across multiple provinces and decades of alleged misconduct would be too unwieldy. But Perell found there was evidence that a culture of “bullying, harassment, hazing, and criminal conduct” had been pervasive in major junior hockey for decades. His decision cited evidence of alleged mistreatment including physical and sexual assault, forcible confinement and emotional abuse. Alternative procedure In 2025, the Court of Appeal for Ontario upheld that decision. Now, the Superior Court has ordered an alternative procedure for players to obtain access to justice. Unlike a class-action lawsuit, players have to apply to be included. “Every individual claim is going to be decided on its own merit,” Antman said. The law firm said it has received reports of physical and sexual abuse, forced drug and alcohol consumption and hazing that transcends just name-calling. “Some of the things that have been disclosed, I don’t think are things that I can necessarily talk about on TV,” Antman said. Claims from current and former players, dating to when the CHL was established in 1975, will be accepted. “Courts and, frankly, my firm as well, we’ve been litigating these types of cases for a very long time,” said Antman. “We have a lot of experience dealing with historic abuse cases.” As required under the court-approved notice plan, the CHL, WHL, OHL and member clubs posted a court-approved notice describing the process on their websites, in keeping with timelines and requirements set by the court. In a statement to CTV News, OHL spokesman Josh Sweetland said the “Canadian hockey league takes the safety and well-being of players seriously.” “Because this matter is before the courts, the CHL is not in a position to comment on specific allegations,” he wrote. Each lawsuit would name the player’s former team, its regional league and the CHL as defendants and would ultimately be responsible for any compensation awarded. Players have until April 6, 2027, to start a claim. “I suspect we’re truly going to find out the extent of the abuse based on how many people make claims,” Antman said.
