Flames cut ties with prospect Topi Rönni after sexual assault charge
The Calgary Flames have officially cut ties with forward prospect Topi Rönni, they announced this afternoon on X.
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 12, 2024
“Effective immediately, the Calgary Flames renounce the rights to unsigned draft pick Topi Ronni,” the Flames official team account wrote. He is now a free agent.
This news comes after it was announced this morning that Rönni was sentenced to one year of conditional imprisonment in connection with a case involving rape as a young person. The decision came earlier today from the District Court of Helsinki. The ruling, however, is not yet final.
It was announced in October that Rönni was facing criminal charges for rape. Once announced, Tappara Tampere of the SM-liiga announced that he was suspended indefinitely from all team activities. He went on to join their U20 team, but his contract has officially been terminated given today’s news.
Topi Ronni’s Liiga contract has been terminated after receiving a one-year suspended prison sentence for rape, per his team Tappara.
Ronni was drafted 59th overall by the Calgary Flames in 2022.https://t.co/UQhsiQOguF
— Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush) March 12, 2024
Rönni, taken 59th overall, was the Flames first selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Shortly after drafting him, they learned about a potential legal issue he was facing.
“We became aware of a potential legal issue involving Topi Ronni following our selection of him in the 2022 NHL Draft,” the Flames said in a statement in October. “We take this matter seriously and will let the legal process follow its due course. We have no further comment at this time.”
Rönni commented shortly after it was confirmed that he was facing charges, as well.
“Today, I have received a summons application related to the matter,” Rönni said in Finnish (translated with Google Translate) when he was initially charged. “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. I am away from the team’s activities for the time being and I am focusing on handling the matter.”
Regardless of how the rest of Rönni’s case plays out, his time with the Flames has come to an end.
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