As expected, the NHL Players’ Association will appeal the suspension of defenseman Slava Voynov that was handed down by the NHL on Tuesday. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun was the first to report than an appeal has been filed and the case will be heard by a neutral arbitrator. A date for the hearing has not yet been announced.
Voynov, 29, was suspended for the entire 2019-20 season and 2020 postseason by the league yesterday for “unacceptable off-ice conduct”, with a conditional date of reinstatement set for July 1st, 2020. Voynov received a lifetime ban from the NHL in 2014 following an incidence of domestic violence and subsequent arrest and conviction, shortly after which he fled to his native Russia. However, the league’s recent decision at least opens the door to a return for the talented blue liner, who spent three years playing abroad in the KHL and sat out the 2018-19 season while awaiting a decision on his NHL reinstatement.
Yet, the league’s leniency was not enough in the eyes of Voynov and the NHLPA. It took only 24 hours for this appeal to be filed as the player’s side tries to shorten the suspension. The NHLPA has had great luck of late in front of an arbitrator; both Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson and Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson had highly-publicized long-term suspensions reduced by arbitrator Shyam Das this season. If Das is to again be the one to hear the case, the odds of a reduction are in Voynov’s favor. While the NHLPA does not necessarily condone the actions of Voynov or any other disciplined players, they have a duty to fight for the players’ rights.
The appeal was also likely supported by the Los Angeles Kings, who still own Voynov’s NHL rights. Whether or not the Western Conference’s last-place teams wants to bring the veteran defender back or instead trade him away, a quicker reinstatement is of value to the Kings. The team has still declined to comment publicly on Voynov’s reinstatement, but have no doubt talked with the player, league, and players’ association throughout this process.
Voynov sat out all of 2018-19 waiting for a decision on this. Thats a 1 year suspension right there.
i woudnt call that leniency compaired to how most sports deal with this sort of thing.
The NHL suspended Voynov for life in 2014. They banned him from playing in the World Cup of Hockey a few years ago. Now, they are suspending him for another full season. That is basically punishing him 3 times for one action. Yes, Voynov’s actions were unacceptable. However, he certainly has paid for those actions. If he was a NFL player, he would have been back after a few games. Even baseball, who is tougher than the NFL in these matters, hasn’t suspended a player this sternly. Re-instate Voynov, but put him on a zero-tolerance policy. If he does it again, he’s finished.
@Eric Lord
He has served 3 punishments? Lifetime ban… not served, the man is still alive. Banned him from world cup of hockey, a exhibition that wouldnt have netted him much but because he was at the time still serving a suspension enforced by a league involved… still part of punishment 1. Now they are reducing his suspension by lifetime ban to a 7 year ban…. not a 3rd punishment but a reduction in punishment. IMO he should be forced to live up to his lifetime ban. Cant live up to the laws of the country you are employed…. deal with the circumstances. As a pro athlete his sentence was reduced to that as a celebrity, served 2 months. Ran back to Russia and made his money while hoping N. America forgot about it. Could Ray Rice run to Russia to continue to make 2-3-4 million a year playing for a professional league while suspended by the premier of his sport?
Guy tucked tail and ran and still made a healthy cheque… can rot IMO
Das would have given Ted Bundy 60 days in the county lockup.