Former NHL player Ryan Kesler is charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to Michigan court records.
Charges were filed Oct. 23 in connection with events that occurred Jan. 1, records show. The 41-year-old man was arraigned Monday in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for November 4, followed by a preliminary examination on November 13.
News of the charges was first reported Monday by Katie Strang and Sean Gentille of Athletic.
“Ryan categorically denies the allegations and is completely innocent of the allegations,” Kesler's attorney, Robert Morad, said in a statement. Athletic. “The allegations are unfounded and he is prepared to vigorously fight them in court. As the trial begins, we ask that his privacy and the integrity of the judicial system be respected. We are confident that when all the facts and circumstances are presented, he will be fully exonerated.”
Sportsnet has also reached out to Morad for comment.
Kesler, from Livonia, Michigan, played 15 seasons in the NHL – 10 with the Vancouver Canucks and five with the Anaheim Ducks, with his last season coming in 2018-19. He also represented the United States at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.
