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Antoine Vermette, NHLPA request review of 10-game suspension
According to multiple reports, Anaheim Ducks forward Antoine Vermette has asked for a review of his 10-game suspension given by the NHL following his slash of a linesman in his Tuesday game against the Minnesota Wild.
A hearing will be heard by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman followed by an independent arbitrator if Vermette appeals Bettman’s ruling. Last year, Bettman upheld a 20-game suspension on defenseman Dennis Wideman’s cross-check of linesman Don Henderson before a neutral arbitrator reduced it to 10 games. Wideman still sat for 19 games, but the lessening of the suspension decreased his fine.
A date for Vermette’s hearing has yet to be set.
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The situation in question occurred with 12:27 left in the third period off a faceoff between Vermette and forward Mikko Koivu. After the puck was dropped by linesman Shandor Alphonso, Vermette slashed the official and was immediately assessed a game misconduct.
The NHL cited Rule 40, Physical Abuse of Officials and specifically section 40.3 Automatic Suspension – Category II for disciplining Vermette. The rule states the following:
Any player who deliberately applies physical force to an official in any matter (excluding actions as set out in Category I), which physical force is applied without intent to injure, or who spits on an official, shall be automatically suspended for not less than ten (10) games.
Category I, which was cited in Wideman’s situation, involves deliberate physical force of a player with “intent to injure, or who in any manner attempts to injure an official.”
There is precedence for Bettman lessening a suspension through this process. In 2008, then Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mike Peca was suspended 10 games for grabbing the arm of a linesman. This was later reduced to five games after an argument was heard by Bettman.
The 34-year-old Vermette has received no supplemental discipline from the NHL in his career, which has spanned 968 games. Vermette will be docked $97,222.22 of his salary for this season and sit out until March 12, should the suspension be upheld.
Anaheim signed Vermette to a two-year, $3.5 million contract last summer after he was bought out by the Arizona Coyotes. He has turned into a consistent on-ice contributor with 22 points while winning 62.4 percent of his faceoffs. Because of the review process the Ducks will not comment on the matter.
An interview request by the Orange County Register for Vermette after the game against Minnesota was not granted. Ducks coach Randy Carlyle tried to explain what happened as best he could.
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“To me, these are things that the league reviews,” Carlyle said. “We have a view on it, they have a view on it. Whatever they decide, we have to live with. Obviously the puck was dropped when our player was not ready. I looked at it and said ‘Well, why is he dropping the puck.’ All of a sudden, it looked like as if he was tapping him and just telling him a blow-the-whistle-type of thing.
“It wasn’t really a vicious or any type of malice thing. He wasn’t trying to hurt anybody. It was more of a tap to blow-the-whistle-type thing. Because usually what happens, if they do drop the puck unfairly, the linesman or the referee will blow the whistle and reset it.”
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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