KHL team announces signing of Jake Virtanen

After a couple of weeks of speculation, in which he was linked to at least four different team in the KHL, Jake Virtanen has officially signed a contract. The former 6th overall pick of the Vancouver Canucks has a one-year contract with Spartak Moscow.

"We are counting on Virtanen as a player in the first two lines, a very useful and dangerous player on the powerplay," said Spartak Director Roman Belyaev. "Jake is a fast and powerful striker with good hands, speed and show. He can play both on the left and on the right wing. He is dangerous when playing in front of the goal and will be able to play the role of a power forward in the KHL."

Virtanen, 25, was bought out of the final year of his contract by the Canucks in July. The team insisted in was about his disappointing play and not the accusations he's currently facing. 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.

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