Ex-NHLer Ryan Kesler suspended from Michigan amateur hockey coaching amid sex charge

Max Reinhart, The Detroit News on Oct 28, 2025

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

DETROIT — Ex-NHL player and Metro Detroit native Ryan Kesler has been suspended from his youth hockey coaching duties, the head of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association said Tuesday.

MAHA president Tom Berry said Kesler has been "summarily suspended" from MAHA and USA Hockey, the governing body for organized hockey in the U.S., which sanctions MAHA, "due to the seriousness of the allegations."

Kesler, 41, faces allegations of sex crimes in an Oakland County court. Berry said he was not aware of details about the allegations.

Kesler had coached the 15U bantam midget team, part of the Little Caesars AAA hockey program, which falls under MAHA's jurisdiction. On Monday, Kesler still had been listed as a coach on the program's website, but his name had been removed as of Tuesday.

Little Caesars program director Brian Rolston did not return messages seeking comment.

Kesler, a Livonia native who played 15 seasons in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks, was arraigned Monday in 48th District Court in Bloomfield Hills, according to court records. He's charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a misdemeanor.

Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct is punishable by a maximum of two years imprisonment and a fine of $500 for each count.

The Orchard Lake Police Department said the charges stem from an incident reported to authorities on Jan. 2.

"To protect the integrity of the legal process, no additional details regarding the allegations can be released at this time," the department said in a press release Tuesday.

Kesler was released from custody after posting a $5,000 bond. He has pleaded not guilty to both counts, records show.

His attorney, Robert Morad, has said in a statement that Kesler is "completely innocent of the charges" and that "he is prepared to fight them vigorously in court."

Police said Kesler is scheduled to return to court Nov. 6 for a probable cause conference.