Trial Begins for Flames' Prospect Facing Serious Charge
The trial has begun for a Calgary Flames prospect facing a very serious charge in his home country. Topi Ronni, drafted in the second round (59th) overall by the Flames in 2022, is charged with assaulting a woman in Helsinki in 2021. Ronni, who is 19 now, was a minor at the time.
According to reports, the entire trial will be heard behind closed doors with no media allowed in the court room. Ronni would not comment on how the trial is going during a break in the proceedings yesterday, but had earlier vowed to fight the charge, saying he was innocent.
"The last two or so years have been hard waiting for the matter to progress. I trust that the related course of events will be clarified in connection with the trial."
Calgary had previously released a statement saying they were not aware of the charge against Ronni until after he was drafted.
"We became aware of a potential legal issue involving Topi Ronni following our selection of him in the 2022 NHL Draft. We take this matter seriously and will let the legal process follow its due course. We have no further comment at this time."
While a leave of absence was taken. Ronni has returned to playing for Tappara Tampere of the Finnish Elite League. However, he has been banned from representing Finland on the international stage at least until his trial ends. Whether he can return will likely depend on the outcome.
There is no word on how long the trial will take.
| POLL | ||
Should players be allowed to play for their pro teams while on trial? | ||
| Yes | 34 | 24.6 % |
| No | 67 | 48.6 % |
| Depends on the charge | 34 | 24.6 % |
| I'm not sure | 3 | 2.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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