Former NHL player Ryan Kesler has been charged with two misdemeanour counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to Michigan court records.
Per the records, the charges were filed on Oct. 23 over events that occurred on Jan. 1. The 41-year-old was arraigned Monday in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for Nov. 4, followed by a preliminary examination on Nov. 13.
The news of the charges was first reported on Monday by Katie Strang and Sean Gentille of The Athletic.
“Ryan emphatically denies the allegations and is completely innocent of the charges,” Kesler’s attorney, Robert Morad, told The Athletic. “The charges are baseless and he is prepared to fight them vigorously in court. As the legal process begins, we ask for respect for his privacy and for the integrity of the judicial system. We are confident, when all the facts and circumstances are presented, that he will be fully exonerated.â€
Sportsnet has also reached out to Morad for comment.
Kesler, from Livonia, Mich., spent 15 seasons in the NHL — 10 with the Vancouver Canucks and five with the Anaheim Ducks — with his last season being 2018-19. He also represented the United States at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.
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