Ex-NHL C Ryan Kesler facing sexual conduct charges

Former NHL center Ryan Kesler is facing two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Michigan.

Kesler, who played in 1,001 games over 15 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks, pleaded not guilty on Monday.

He posted $50,000 bond and was ordered not to leave the state without court permission, according to Bloomfield Hills District Court records.

The charges were filed against Kesler last Thursday stemming from an incident on Jan. 1 in Orchard Lake, Mich.

"Ryan emphatically denies the allegations and is completely innocent of the charges," his attorney Robert Morad told The Athletic on Monday. "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, 41, has been suspended by the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association from his role as a Detroit-area youth hockey coach, according to ESPN.

Drafted in the first round by Vancouver in 2003, the Michigan native recorded 573 points (258 goals, 315 assists) and 920 penalty minutes with the Canucks (2003-14) and Ducks (2014-19). The two-time All-Star won the 2010-11 Selke Trophy as the league's best two-way forward.

Kesler played for the United States Olympic teams in 2010 and 2014.

--Field Level Media