What is Topi Ronni accused of? Exploring criminal charges faced by 19-year old Calgary Flames prospect

Modified Oct 20, 2023 01:07 GMT

United States v Finland: Group B - 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship — Topi Ronni faces rape charges in Finnish court as minor

Topi Ronni is currently facing rape charges after a Finnish court sent a legal document to the center regarding the alleged charges.

Topi Ronni was drafted 59th overall by the Calgary Flames at the 2022 NHL Draft. This season, he has been playing for Finnish Elite League's Tappara Tampere having played 12 games, scoring a goal and an assist.

In a statement released on the Tappara Tampere website, Ronni disclosed he received the legal documents regarding the rape allegations on Thursday. The incident is alleged to have taken place two years ago when Ronni was 17 years old, and a minor.

The 19-year-old announced his decision to step away from team activities after informing the team of the allegations and impending investigation.

According to the win column, Ronni's team statement, translated from Finnish, reads:

"Today, I have received a summons application related to the matter. 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. For the time being, I’m out of the team’s activities and I’m focusing on handling the matter."

Tappara Tampere CEO also commented on the allegations and said:

“We take the suspected crime seriously, but we are waiting for the court hearing and will evaluate the player’s position afterwards. This is also about labour law.”

Calgary Flames released a statement earlier today regarding the charges against their 2022 NHL draft third-round pick.

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Topi Ronni contract: Has the Flames prospect signed an NHL deal?

Topi Ronni has not signed an entry-level contract (ELC) with the Calgary Flames and hence does not have an official NHL deal. According to The Athletic, Calgary does hold his rights as a European prospect until 2026.

The 19-year-old recently represented Finland at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. He had 0 points, -1 +/- and served four penalty minutes in the five games that he played.

Topi Ronni had five points from two goals and three assists for Tappara in the 2022-23 Liiga season.

The Flames prospect's highest scoring season was with Tappara's U20 team in SM-sarja, the Finnish premier junior men's hockey league. Ronni had 29 points in the 2021-22 season with 11 goals and 18 assists from 30 games.

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Edited by Krutik Jain