Former Canuck Ryan Kesler charged with two counts of criminal sexual misconduct: report

A former Vancouver Canucks star is reportedly in legal trouble.

According to a report from The Athletic, former NHL forward Ryan Kesler was arraigned in a courtroom on Monday in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on two misdemeanour counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Per the report, the charges were filed against the 41-year-old on Oct. 23 over events that occurred on Jan. 1. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and Orchard Lake police stated that Kesler was booked but also posted bond, set at $50,000.

Robert Morad, Kesler’s attorney, claimed to The Athletic of his client’s innocence.

“Ryan emphatically denies the allegations and is completely innocent of the charges. The charges are baseless, and he is prepared to fight them vigorously in court,” Morad said. “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.”

Kesler played 15 seasons in the NHL, including 10 in Vancouver. He was a key member of the team that reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. That season, Kesler won the Frank J. Selke as the league’s best defensive forward. The former Ohio State product played a total of 655 games with the Canucks, scoring 182 goals and 211 assists for 393 points. In the postseason, he added 38 points in 57 contests.

The Livonia, Michigan native rounded out his NHL tenure with the Ducks. His career ended following the 2018-19 season, after he was unable to fully recover from his injuries, which included him undergoing hip resurfacing surgery before being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

Kesler played 1,001 games in the league, potting 258 goals and 315 assists for 573 points. In addition to his NHL career, he also represented USA Hockey on multiple occasions. He played for the United States at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, helping the team grab the silver medal in Vancouver in 2010. He also played for the U.S. at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Kesler’s most significant moment came in 2004, when he and Team USA won the country’s first gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship.