Jake Virtanen returned to the stand Friday for the final day of testimony in his sexual assault trial in British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver.
The 25-year-old former Vancouver Canuck is charged with one count of sexual assault related to an incident in his hotel room at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver on September 26, 2017.
The name of the complainant, identified as MS, is protected by a publication ban. She and Virtanen were the only witnesses called at the trial.
For the second day in a row, Virtanen broke down during questions from his defense team about how the accusation has affected his hockey career.
Virtanen said he was “speechless” when the Canucks placed him on waivers on May 1, 2021.
“Have you played professional hockey since then?” asked his attorney Colleen Elden.
“I had to go to Russia,” he replied.
“Why did you have to go?” Elden asked.
“It was the only place anyone would give me a job,” she sobbed.
In a final question from his defense, Virtanen again told the jury that MS was an “active, equal and enthusiastic participant” in the sexual encounter.
Crown attorney Alan Ip challenged Virtanen on cross-examination, asking him to explain why he took MS directly to his hotel room at the Westin Bayshore after picking her up the night of the alleged incident.
MS, who was 18 at the time of the alleged assault, testified that she did not know Virtanen had a room at the Westin Bayshore until just before she arrived at the hotel. He said he didn’t know he was going to take her to his room because they hadn’t talked about it.
Jake Virtanen, middle, is seen after being selected sixth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Virtanen said there was never any discussion about doing something else like going to dinner or walking the seawall.
“Was it your idea to go to your room?” Ip asked.
“I went back to where we were staying, where the Canucks had us,” Virtanen said.
Later, Ip asked, “In all your dealings up to the point of the hotel room door, there was no communication, gesture or words from MS that she was interested in participating in a sexual activity with you?”
“Good,” Virtanen said.
“You made an assumption,” Ip said.
“Good,” Virtanen said.
MS and Virtanen gave very different accounts of how the sexual encounter unfolded. Contrary to MS’s testimony, Virtanen said he never told her “no” and never said he didn’t want sex.
“You ignored her,” Ip said. — You told him he didn’t have to do it.
“Good,” Virtanen said.
When asked if EM explicitly said “yes” to sex, Virtanen replied, “she said yes through her actions.”
“Like the Roxy”
Ip also asked Virtanen about the night he claims MS first approached the Cowboys’ bar tent at the 2017 Calgary Stampede.
“It’s kind of like the Roxy in Vancouver,” Ip said, referring to the Granville Street club popular with NHL players.
“Yes,” said Virtanen.
“It felt like … a fan walking up to me,” Virtanen said. “Like she already knew who I was.”
“Did she know your name?” Ip asked.
“That’s just my instinct,” Virtanen replied.
MS testified that he did not know who Virtanen was, what he did for a living, or how much money he made when they met.
Ip later suggested that Virtanen’s perception of knowing MS was shaped by his hockey fame and “local hero” status as a BC-born player drafted by his hometown NHL team birthday
“Maybe she didn’t know anything about you, but she wanted to know you as a person, not as a hockey player,” Ip asked.
“Okay,” Virtanen replied.
The trial reconvenes on Monday for closing presentations and instructions from presiding judge Catharine Wedge to the jury of eight men and four women. The jury will then begin deliberations until a verdict is reached.