Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ian Cole is currently under NHL investigation after being accused of grooming and sexual assault on Sunday. As the league investigates these allegations, Cole will not see any time on the ice.
The Lightning released a statement to the media Sunday. The statement, shared by The Athletic's Joe Smith, confirms that Cole is suspended pending the results of the NHL's investigation.
“The Tampa Bay Lightning is aware of the allegations against player Ian Cole and are cooperating fully with the NHL on an investigation,” the statement reads. “Our organization takes these allegations very seriously.”
The Lightning also said the team will not comment any further on this matter. No Lightning player will comment on the situation, either.
The allegations come from Twitter user @emily_smith3333. This user wrote a statement of their own, detailing their experiences with Cole over the course of four years.
According to the victim, Cole began pursuing them while they were a minor in high school. The victim says they had sex while they were still a minor. Furthermore, the victim states they were not the only minor Cole was grooming.
The victim says the 33-year-old Lightning defenseman bragged about grooming her to his teammates at one point. Cole's teammate allegedly knew details that only the victim and Cole could know about their encounter.
After news broke of his suspension, Cole released a statement on Twitter. He denied the allegations and stated he intends to cooperate with the league's investigation.
Cole is a 12-year-veteran in the NHL. The Lightning signed the 33-year-old to a one-year contract in the offseason. The defenseman is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, having won those cups back-to-back with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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