Former Vancouver Canuck Ryan Kesler faces criminal sexual conduct charges in Michigan

Former Vancouver Canucks centre Ryan Kesler has been charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Michigan.

Court records show Kesler, 41, was arraigned via Zoom on Monday in Bloomfield Hills District Court and pleaded not guilty to both misdemeanour charges.

The offences are alleged to have occurred on Jan. 1 in Orchard Lake, Mich.

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Bond was set at US$50,000, with a 10 per cent deposit, and Kesler was ordered not to leave Michigan without court permission. He must also appear for all scheduled hearings.

A probable-cause conference is set for Nov. 6, followed by a preliminary examination Nov. 13.

The Livonia, Mich., native played for the Vancouver Canucks from 2003 to 2014 before being traded to the Anaheim Ducks, where he played until his retirement in 2019.

He was also a member of the United States Olympic teams in 2010 and 2014 and won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2011 as the NHL’s top defensive forward and was part of Vancouver’s run to the Stanley Cup final that year.