NHLer Clayton Stoner in court for grizzly bear hunting charges

NHL defenceman Clayton Stoner is scheduled to appear in B.C. Supreme Court on Friday to face charges related to hunting a grizzly bear without a proper licence.

Stoner, who grew up on Vancouver Island but has been playing hockey in the U.S. for more than a decade, is accused of falsely claiming to be a B.C. resident when he applied for a licence.

In 2013, Stoner, who was playing for the Minnesota Wild at the time, admitted to shooting a bear.Graphic photographs of the kill sparked an outcry from wildlife advocates and First Nationsleaders.

At the time Stoner defended his actions, saying he grew up hunting on Northern Vancouver Island, and applied for and received a resident licence as part of the annual lottery.

But the public outcry sparked an investigation and Stoner was charged with several offences earlier this year, including:

• Two counts of knowingly making a false statement to obtain a licence.
• Hunting without a licence.
• Hunting out of season.
• Unlawful possession of dead wildlife.

Friday's court date is expected to be a short legal consultation for his legal counsel. No date for a trial has been set.