Flames renounce rights to Topi Ronni after forward prospect found ...
Earlier Tuesday, Ronni was handed a one-year suspended sentence by district court in Helsinki
Published Mar 12, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 1 minute read
The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that they have renounced the rights to draft pick Topi Ronni, a move that came just hours after the 19-year-old forward prospect was found guilty of a sexual assault charge in Finland.
Ronni was a second-round selection of the Flames in the 2022 NHL Draft and attended two development camps in Calgary, but he had not signed an entry-level contract with the club.
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Earlier Tuesday, Ronni was handed a one-year suspended sentence by district court in Helsinki.
The charge stemmed from an incident when he was 17. The Flames had previously said they were not aware of the allegations when Ronni was drafted.
In a brief statement Tuesday afternoon, the team announced: “Effective immediately, the Calgary Flames renounce the rights to unsigned draft pick Topi Ronni.”
Ronni had been skating this season with Tappara, appearing in both Finland’s top professional league and for their junior club.
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Topi Rönni (#Flames) has been sentenced to a one-year suspended sentence for rape by the Helsinki district court. Rönni was 17 years old at the time of the incident. The ruling is not final.
Tappara is set to comment on the situation later via an announcement. https://t.co/BdB5smhyXU
After Tuesday’s court decision, Tappara terminated his contract.
“Almost three years have passed since the incident and this time has been extremely difficult for everyone involved,” Ronni said in a statement that was posted on Tappara’s website and translated to English. “The publicity surrounding the case has felt overwhelming and has touched not only myself but also my family and loved ones. Involuntarily, the matter has also been connected to the Tappara community, as well as the Calgary Flames, who (drafted) me, and many others. I want to apologize for this to all those involved.”
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