Unbelievable decision, regardless of which side of the fence you go on.
The NHL has suspended Dennis Wideman under the Abuse of Officials rule for 20 games, the minimum suspension that the rule states for intentional attempt to injure a game official.
By invoking Rule 40, it appears as if they have invoked Automatic Suspension Category I (Rule 40.2), in which any attempt or actual physical force to try to injure an official is minimum 20 games.
Wow. It's bullshit, no matter which way you go.
It's clear he's boarded into the boards head-first, and what happens happens afterward. I've had friends look at the video and accompanying pictures and state that it's a Grade 2 concussion. And I have absolutely no argument with any of that.
On the other side of the coin: If the NHL believes that Rule 40 applies and that it merits 20 games, it appears the NHL believes that intent to injure with actual physical force was applied. Especially with the rising public awareness of physical attacks on game officials across the North American sports spectrum (and blog readers know I have ZERO TOLERANCE for that shit!!!), you would think the NHL would be looking minimum rest of the season and playoffs (and I'd have started the bidding at an additional season), if not applying the standard several Canadian junior leagues have used to throw players out of the sport for life for attacking referees.
So whichever view you take, this is almost a kow-tow to a threatened work action by the NHL Officials Association if they didn't get a sizable suspension.
Whether it's zero games (he was concussed, making mitigating factors) or life ban (for an intentional attack), 20 games was a bullshit call.
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