Two former players from the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) have been sentenced to prison by a judge in Quebec following their convictions for s****l assault.
Nicolas Daigle and Massimo Siciliano, who were teammates with the Tigres, were charged in relation to an incident that occurred in 2021. The incident involved a teenage girl in a hotel room while the team was celebrating their QMJHL championship victory. Both Daigle and Siciliano were found guilty in 2023 of assault, with Daigle also being convicted of recording the assault and distributing the footage. Consequently, Daigle received a longer sentence, two months more than Siciliano.
"A Quebec judge gave Nicolas Daigle a 32-month jail sentence this afternoon. Massimo Siciliano was sentenced to 30 months.
The Crown had requested 36 months for Siciliano and between 39 and 42 months for Daigle. (An offender sentenced to two years or more usually serves the sentence in a federal penitentiary.) The defence sought community sentences and probation."
According to LeSoleil.com, the defense has already indicated plans to appeal the sentences. The prosecutor, however, commended the judge's ruling, emphasizing its significance as a message to the hockey community.
"To all sports associations, especially hockey associations, there is a very strong message. We have two individuals who played for the major junior league, a prestigious league, who are headed to prison today,"
In a related matter, five former NHL players are currently facing similar charges from an alleged incident during a celebration of Team Canada's gold medal at the 2018 World Junior Championship. All five players have pledged to contest the charges.