Former NHL centre Ryan Kesler is officially headed to trial on criminal sexual conduct charges, according to a recent court ruling in Michigan. The case against the ex-Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks player will proceed after a judge determined prosecutors established probable cause.
Charges and Allegations Detailed in Court
Kesler faces two misdemeanour counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree. The charges were formally filed on October 23, 2025. District Judge Marc Barron made the ruling to send the case to trial following a preliminary examination, as reported by The Athletic.
The alleged incident occurred on January 1, 2025, in Orchard Lake, Michigan. The criminal complaint accuses the 41-year-old of engaging in sexual contact with a 16-year-old child "through force or coercion and/or (had) reason to know the victim was physically helpless." The alleged victim, now 17, was reportedly a friend of Kesler's eldest daughter.
During the preliminary hearing, the accuser testified that she fell asleep on a couch next to Kesler after a New Year's Eve party at his home. She stated she awoke to find his foot rubbing her crotch and her foot touching his erect penis over a pair of shorts.
Kesler's Legal Team Vows Vigorous Defence
Kesler has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His legal team argued that inconsistencies in the accuser's accounts to law enforcement and a children's advocacy centre should have prevented the case from reaching trial.
"Ryan emphatically denies the allegations and is completely innocent of the charges," his lawyer, Robert Morad, told The Athletic in late October. "The charges are baseless and he is prepared to fight them vigorously in court. We are confident, when all the facts and circumstances are presented, that he will be fully exonerated."
Morad also requested respect for his client's privacy and the integrity of the judicial process as the case moves forward.
Fallout for the Former NHL Star
The charges have already had significant repercussions for Kesler's post-hockey life. A native of Livonia, Michigan, he had been coaching a 15-and-under bantam midget team with the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club. The Detroit News reports he has been "summarily suspended" from those coaching duties due to the seriousness of the allegations.
Kesler's professional hockey career spanned 16 NHL seasons. He was a key player for the Vancouver Canucks from 2003 to 2014, helping lead the team to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. That same year, he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's top defensive forward. He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in 2014 and played there until his retirement in 2019. Kesler also represented the United States at the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014.
Under Michigan law, fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involves sexual contact with someone under 16, or contact accomplished using force or coercion, or with a victim who is incapacitated. A conviction can result in penalties of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $500, or both.
The case is now scheduled to proceed to trial, where a jury will ultimately weigh the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defence.
