Five former World Junior players, including Carter Hart, were found not guilty in Hockey Canada's 2018 sexual assault case on Thursday. They are expected to return to the NHL once cleared, except for pending approval from the league.Justice Maria Carroccia said the evidence from the complainant was not credible or reliable. However, even though the players were acquitted, they cannot return immediately. The NHL will finish its review before making a final decision."The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing, and the behavior at issue was unacceptable" the NHL said in a statement on Thursday. "We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings."The case involved an incident in June 2018 in London, Ontario, when the players were in town for a Hockey Canada event. A woman, identified as E.M., filed a lawsuit, claiming that one man got her drunk, and four others entered and sexually assaulted her. She named the men as Hart, Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote. All five are unrestricted free agents.However, the NHL Players’ Association has sided with Hart and the other four players since they were cleared of the accusations. They disagreed with the league’s decision and said the players should be allowed to return.Some important questions emerged in this complex situation. Let's answer them one by one, including two NHL insiders' take on it.Will NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman allow Carter Hart and the other four players to return?It all comes down to business and the impact of the players' return. This was discussed by sports legal analyst Eric Macramalla. He believes the league will assess the cost-benefit of their decision.If the league allows Carter Hart and others to return, are they going to get signed and be able to play?It depends on teams, as discussed by The Athletic's Chris Johnston and Michael Russo in their Saturday column. Even if the league allows the players to return, the teams will consider the question, "Are these players worth signing?" They will do so because they are most likely going to face backlash from fans due to the nature of the allegation."Ultimately, it’s still possible the decision will be made by individual teams." Johnston and Russo wrote.Does the league have the power to bar the players from playing?The league has the power to act under Article 18-A of the collective bargaining agreement signed by the NHL and the NHLPA. Gary Bettman can suspend or fine players for off-ice conduct. This can happen even without a criminal conviction. Bettman used this power in past cases like Slava Voynov’s. It was later upheld by an arbitrator.The backlash faced by Carter Hart and others is realAfter the verdict, NHL analyst Matt Larkin shared his thoughts on X. He said his heart hurts for E.M. and that the lack of evidence does not mean her story was false."Heart hurts for EM today," Larkin tweeted. "I understand that the onus of proof was not met. That doesn’t make her story untrue. She was put through the wringer with the victim blaming during the trial. I fear it will deter other SA victims from coming forward in future."Some members of the NHL community are likely going to side with E.M. and against the five players. This could play a big role in the league and the teams' decisions to allow the players to return.Carter Hart has not played since February 2024 but has continued to train. Michael McLeod and Dillon Dubé played in the KHL last season, while Cal Foote played in Slovakia and Alex Formenton stepped away from hockey. Teams may still consider signing some of them, and Hart is expected to draw interest from teams like the Edmonton Oilers.