Knights player said he wasn’t involved in Team Canada allegations

Howden denies involvement in 2018 sexual assault case

Golden Knights center Brett Howden said Wednesday he was not involved in an alleged sexual assault involving members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Championship team.

In a statement released by Howden’s agent, J.P. Barry, Howden said he had “absolutely no interaction, verbally or physically” with a female complainant who alleged she was sexually assaulted by eight Canadian Hockey League players in June 2018.

Howden, 24, was a member of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Championship team that won the gold medal. He said he previously cooperated with a Hockey Canada investigation into the alleged incident and plans to do the same with a current one from the NHL.

Hockey Canada and the CHL settled a lawsuit in May with the woman, now 24, who claimed she was assaulted in a hotel room in the early morning of June 19, 2018, following a Hockey Canada Foundation gala and golf function in London, Ontario, according to TSN.

The allegations against the players were not proven in court.

“There has never been any suggestion that I am accused of any wrongdoing in the matter, but given the blanket condemnation of the players on that team in the media, I want to make it publicly very clear that I was not involved,” Howden said.

Howden signed a one-year, $1.5 million extension with the Knights on June 13. He joined the team before last season in a trade with the New York Rangers.

Howden is one of several players on Canada’s 2018 World Junior Championship team to say publicly they were not involved in the alleged assault.

The NHL said May 26 it would attempt to learn the facts of the alleged incident, find out whether any current players are involved and “determine what action, if any, would be appropriate.”

Hockey Canada announced July 14 in an open letter that it was reopening its investigation into the alleged assault, and the woman involved in the case has said she would cooperate, according to TSN and the Athletic.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.

Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal