UPDATED: Mike Hoffman's fianceé allegedly behind campaign of harassment against Melinda and Erik Karlsson
SHAAMINI YOGARETNAM Updated: June 12, 2018
Melinda Karlsson has filed an order of protection against the longtime girlfriend of Senators forward Mike Hoffman — alleging a campaign of harassment that plagued the Karlssons after the death of their son and through much of the last NHL season, this newspaper has learned.
The application for a peace bond, sworn in front of Justice of the Peace Louise Logue on May 4, alleges that Monika Caryk, Hoffman’s partner, had threatened Melinda (née Currey) and husband Erik Karlsson from November 2017 to the date the information was sworn to.
Hoffman and Caryk deny this.
It was in late November that the Karlssons announced on social media that they were expecting their first child, a son they would later name Axel Michael who was stillborn on March 19, 2018.
Melinda and Erik Karlsson. ASHLEY FRASER / POSTMEDIA
“Monika Caryk has uttered numerous statements wishing my unborn child dead,” says Melinda Karlsson’s sworn statement to the court.
“She also uttered that she wished I was dead and that someone should ‘take out’ my husband’s legs to ‘end his career.’
“Monika Caryk has posted over 1,000 negative and derogatory statements about me as a professional.”
Reached on Tuesday afternoon, Hoffman said, “There’s nothing really for me to say, at this time. That’s all I can say.”
LIVE: Join us as we discuss the future of Mike Hoffman, Erik Karlsson and the Ottawa Senators
In a subsequent comment, Hoffman said, “There is a 150 per cent chance that my fianceé Monika and I are not involved in any of the accusations that have been pursued (that are) coming our way. We totally understand there’s no place for cyberbullying.
“We’ve offered to co-operate and do anything it takes to find out who is doing this, and support (the Karlssons). Obviously this is a tough time that they’re going through, and we want to find out who is doing this, because for some reason it’s coming into our court, and it’s 150 per cent that it’s not us.
“We have nothing to hide. We’re willing to co-operate in any way to solve this and figure it out, and prove that it wasn’t us.”
The Senators issued a statement Tuesday night saying they’ve started an investigation.
“We are investigating this matter in co-operation with the NHL and will take whatever steps are necessary to protect the safety and privacy of our players and their families,” the statement said.
In March, Sens captain Erik Karlsson blasted an anonymous online troll who, in the comments section of a post mourning his dead son, accused his wife of “popping painkiller medication” during her pregnancy.
In an Instagram post mourning his son’s death, Erik Karlsson posted a photo of Axel’s tiny footprints. In the post, Karlsson thanked the city and the team’s fans for their love and support and wrote: “We feel very lucky to be Axel’s parents. Even though he was stillborn, we know we will hold him again one day under different circumstances and the joy he gave us will be with us forever.”
The post garnered more than 10,000 comments, with the overwhelming majority of them expressions of support and sympathy for the couple. However, one comment, posted by user @sandydandy45, stood out: “I feel bad for the baby he didn’t have a chance with Melinda popping pain killer medication everyday.”
Mike Hoffman and his girlfriend, Monika Caryk. TONY CALDWELL / POSTMEDIA NETWORK
It took the league’s top defenceman just seven minutes to respond: “How dare you. You have been making fake accounts and buying hacked ones for months to harass me and my wife but this is an all new low even for you. You are a disgusting person.”
The user @sandydandy45 has since deactivated that account.
READ: Erik Karlsson blasts online troll for disgusting comments
This newspaper also found other social media users coming to Melinda’s defence after Twitter user @petersonmegan51 used an anti-bullying event to insult her. That account has also since been deleted.
In recent weeks, Caryk has created a new Instagram profile, which she has made private. That account calls her a “professional packer-unpacker,” “frenchdog enthusiast” and “Champagne lover.” The peace bond application sworn against her on May 4, ordered a court date of May 25, but by that time, Caryk had still yet to be served with the notice.
Court filings list her summer address from June to August as being in Waterloo. Her home from September to May — and during the NHL season — is listed to the McKellar Park home owned by Hoffman.
A peace bond, issued under section 810 of the Criminal Code, is similar to a restraining order, which typically only applies in family court situations. A peace bond is an order of protection issued by a justice of the peace when a person fears injury to themselves or to their property, or fears that someone is likely to commit a criminal offence, though one has not yet been committed.
BACKGROUND: ‘Ottawa is with you’ — Tributes pour in for Erik and Melinda Karlsson after tragic loss of couple’s stillborn son
This newspaper has also learned that there is an active Ottawa police investigation into the criminal harassment (stalking) allegations and that it is being probed by central district detectives. No criminal charges have been laid against Caryk and none of the allegations against her has been tested in court. No conditions have been set out in the bond either, since it appears to not have been served on Caryk.
With the NHL draft and the beginning of free agency around the corner — traditionally a time when teams test the trade waters — there has been much public speculation among hockey insiders that one, if not both players, will be dealt by the team.
In nine seasons with the Senators, Karlsson has established himself as one of the greatest players in the franchise’s history.
He’s finished as the league’s top-scoring defenceman four times and has won the Norris Trophy twice, the award given to the NHL’s top defender.
Karlsson has also led the Senators in scoring for the last five years, though he shared the title with winger Mark Stone last season, a disappointing campaign that saw the club miss the playoffs just one year after having come within a goal of making the Stanley Cup finals.
Erik Karlsson and Mike Hoffman.
ALSO: Dealing Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson would leave Senators to hope for offence and patience
Karlsson, who succeeded Jason Spezza as the Senators’ ninth captain in 2014, signed a seven-year, $45-million deal in 2012.
The annual average value of $6.5 million made him the league’s 14th highest-paid defenceman last season.
Karlsson is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019, leaving the Senators with three options before that date: re-sign him, which would require giving him a substantial raise; trade him; or let him walk in free agency.
Hoffman, meanwhile, has been one of the Senators’ most consistent goal scorers during his tenure with the club.
He was selected in the fifth round of the 2009 draft, with the 130th pick overall, and for the last four seasons he’s led the team in goals.
Hoffman earned Calder Trophy consideration as the league’s top rookie in 2014-15, when he scored a team-high 27 goals. Playing on a one-year contract, he improved the total to 29 goals the following season.
Following the 2015-16 season, he was rewarded with a four-year, $20.75 million deal, of which he is now halfway through.
MORE: Social media reacts to Hoffman-Karlsson allegations
With files from Don Brennan
This story will be updated.
ERIK KARLSSON
MELINDA CURREY
MELINDA KARLSSON
MIKE HOFFMAN
NHL
OTTAWA SENATORS
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