JAKE Virtanen, former Vancouver Canucks forward, was charged Thursday with sexual assault following a Vancouver Police investigation.

BC Prosecution Service approved one count of sexual assault against Virtanen, 25, in relation to an incident that occurred in Vancouver on September 26, 2017, when Virtanen was playing in the National Hockey League.

VPD launched an investigation in May 2021, after the now-23-year-old victim came forward to police.

Virtanen is not currently in custody.