May 27: Colorado head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Mike Chambers of the Denver Post today that the appeal was in the “conclusion stage.” Today’s hearing was with the commissioner, which means Kadri can still appeal to a neutral arbitrator depending on the decision given in this first stage.
May 23: Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri has decided to appeal the eight-game suspension that he received earlier this week for an illegal hit on St. Louis defenseman, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). He has already served the first two games (the second of which was today) so the process will need to move fairly quickly for him to have a chance of having any games shaved off.
The process can go through two separate stages. The first is a hearing with Commissioner Gary Bettman who can decide whether or not to uphold the eight-game ruling or to reduce it. If he opts to uphold it, Kadri can then appeal to have it heard by a neutral discipline arbitrator. Notably, this is the route Washington’s Tom Wilson took to have his 20-game suspension reduced to 14 back in 2018. However, it’s worth noting that this process takes some time; it was 13 days between Wilson’s hearing for the arbitrator to issue a ruling while taking a month after the incident took place to have a hearing. If this was to follow a similar timeline if it gets that far, Kadri’s entire suspension would have been served and a ruling would only reduce the absence on paper, if at all.
While the NHLPA is initiating this process through Kadri’s request, Line Movement’s Nick Kypreos reports (Twitter link) that Kadri is likely to hire outside counsel as well for his hearing. Players don’t always go that route but he will have ample representation for his hearing with Bettman which will likely take place over the next few days.
Upon appeal, the NHL has decided that 8 games is not enough but has increased it to 18.
FREE KADRI …..FREE KADRI
I will say the Kadri hit was dirtier than I previously believed. Finally saw it on TV instead of a YouTube clip.
He left his feet. I still think the head was an accidental target, but he hit it after leaving his feet. Dirty.
Also saw the Orlov hit. Just as dirty.
Parros’ roulette wheel strikes again.
Why can’t these guys act like men and just serve there suspensions?
Ok, appeal it. But if you don’t win your case 2 games are added to your sentence.
@Eaton Harass – How about 2x the original suspension if you lose the appeal? That would be a real two-hander to the cahonies!
Playoff games played & playoff games he’s been suspended for…. which number is greater?
Played 36 playoff games, including the 8 gamer he’s been suspended 16 games for playoffs. He’s also got a handful of regular season suspensions including a team imposed 2 gamer
If Colorado goes deep, which it should, does the suspension affect the money he’d get in the Playoff Pool? Is it treated like the Regular Season with salary?
In a world where Wilson gets a fine for slamming another players head into the ice I can totally see why Kadri is trying to appeal this. That said there’s no place in the game anymore for knuckle dragging goons including in the department of player safety. Fire Parros.
Maybe hire a company to create an AI algorithm. Cannot be any worse than Parros and it will be impartial.
Why doesn’t the players association represent the victims of these senseless hits? The league sure doesn’t.
I’ve always wondered the same. Vontez Burfict in the NFL is the only example I can think of where the players association stopped representing one of their players. I’d imagine based off of # of infractions Wilson would be the first to get this treatment in the NHL.
I think this is a smart move. There’s zero continuity to Parros suspensions but there is a pattern that he picks on my Avs a little more so than other teams. With all that being said I hope when Kadri’s time is served Sakic leaves him off the roster.
That’s an interesting claim. Why do you think Parros has a hard on for the Avs? I’ve never gotten that impression.
DPoS is a joke. this is important. get a hearing done TODAY.
The fact that he has taken it this far suggests he may very well go to the arbitrator, who should be ready to settle it within a day or two, not drag it out for another 2-3 weeks. You can almost smell the Tom Wilson defense argument from here. If the league has already reminded him of his past transgressions AND he still doesn’t get it, he’ll probably need to be made an example.
I posted this before but does Kadri forgo playoff bonuses if he is not playing?
As in, is there a fiscal incentive to fight the ruling or is it he just want’s to play hockey.