Ryan Kesler's attorneys speak out after testimony.

Former National Hockey League forward Ryan Kesler is headed to trial after being charged with two counts of fourth degree criminal sexual misconduct in the state of Michigan, with the trial being made official following a probable cause hearing this past Thursday.

Kesler is accused of having engaged in sexual misconduct with a 16 year old child, with the incident alleged to have occurred earlier this year on January, 1st.

On Thursday, the alleged victim testified for more than two hours with district judge Marc Barron ruling that the prosecution had established enough probable cause to move to trial. Now however attorneys for Kesler are speaking out in defense of their client.

In a statement obtained by Trevor Connors of Hockey Feed, attorneys Robert Morad and Neil Rockind, both of whom are representing Kesler in this case, have stated the following:

"Ryan is innocent and has done nothing wrong. Anyone who watched yesterday’s hearing saw the same thing we did: the testimony unraveled under the slightest pressure. Key details shifted, answers repeatedly collapsed into 'I don’t know' or 'I don’t recall,' and contradictions with earlier statements were never accounted for. Even basic facts couldn’t be stated consistently. Ryan has been unwavering from day one because he’s telling the truth. He’s prepared to see this through and is confident his name will be fully cleared."

Kesler, 41, was a highly successful player during his tenure in the National Hockey League appearing in over 1000 regular season games with the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks over an NHL career that spanned 15 seasons. Kesler was still very much involved in the sport of hockey following his NHL career and was in his third season as the head coach of an elite Detroit area youth hockey program, the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club. Kesler has however been suspended by the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association following these allegations and has been barred from all MAHA and USA Hockey activities at this time.

No date has been set for trial at the time of this writing.