Jake Virtanen is negotiating a new contract outside the NHL
It looks like former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen will be playing pro hockey next season, but not in the NHL. The 25-year-old sixth overall draft pick in 2014 is reportedly negotiating a new contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL in Russia. According to Sport24.ru, the deal will be for one year and is worth around 60 million Russian Rubles, or about $816,000 USD.
In May of this year, Virtanen was placed on leave by the Canucks following a sexual misconduct allegation made by a woman identified in court documents as "M.S.". The woman claims Virtanen "used his body weight and superior strength" to render her powerless while the two were at a hotel room. The Canucks later released a statement remarking that "their organization does not accept sexual misconduct of any kind, and that the claims as reported were being treated very seriously."
Virtanen has not been charged by police with any crime, at least not yet. In a response to the lawsuit from M.S, Virtanen acknowledged having sex with the woman, but claimed he had not forced himself on her and that she consented "through her words and conduct". Virtanen said M.S. gave him no verbal or physical indication that she did not want to engage in sexual activity.
In late July, the Canucks announced Virtanen would be bought out of the remaining year left on his contract, making him a free agent. Some analysts said the decision was more related to his play, which has never really lived up to the hype, rather than the allegations against him. There was some speculation that he would be signed by another NHL team, but that appears to not be the case if he's signing a contract with SKA St. Pertersburg.
Source: Sport24.ru
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AOÛT 30 | 1 ANSWERS Jake Virtanen is negotiating a new contract outside the NHL Should NHL teams give Virtanen another chance? | ||
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