Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jason Spezza was suspended six games by the NHL Department of Player Safety Tuesday for kneeing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk.
In determining the length of the suspension, according to the explanation video, the Department does take into account the play leading up to this that resulted in a two-game suspension for Pionk.
As outlined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, it is important to note the prior events in this game which occurred that led to this play. A little over a minute before this incident occurred, Pionk injured Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin with a knee-to-knee check, a hit for which Pionk has been suspended. Spezza acknowledges that he was aware that the player he was checking was Pionk.
Additionally, the explanation video from the Department outlines a series of arguments made by the Leafs and Spezza in Tuesday’s hearing in defense of the player.
First, the Maple Leafs argued that this is not kneeing. We disagree, as this is clearly a case in which Spezza’s leading knee makes direct and forceful contact with his opponent. We also note that there is past precedent of our Department penalizing knees to an opponent’s head under the kneeing rule. Second, both the Maple Leafs and Spezza argued that Pionk is eligible to be checked on this play, and we agree. While every play is different, there is no league rule against hitting a player who is low to the ice, provided the hit is delivered in an otherwise legal fashion. However, it is important to note that it is often extremely difficult to deliver a legal check to a player in a vulnerable position, and the onus remains on the player throwing the check to adjust himself to ensure the hit is delivered legally… Finally, Spezza argued that he would have been able to deliver this check legally had Pionk not fallen further toward the ice, materially changing the position of his head after Spezza had already committed to the hit. We do not agree.
The Department goes on to acknowledge the fact that Spezza has no suspension history in his 19-year NHL career, but believes that the retaliatory nature of the play warrants the suspension.
Ultimately, while we believe that Spezza’s long history of clean play supports his argument that he does not intentionally drive his knee into the head of Pionk, this is a play in which he is attempting to enact forceful retribution on a player who was in a vulnerable position.
Pionk did indeed suffer an injury on the play as alluded to in the video. He was placed in concussion protocol today as a direct cause of the Spezza knee.
However, it may not be the end of the road for this story. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Spezza plans on appealing the suspension, which will go directly to Commissioner Gary Bettman. Spezza then has the option to elect for an independent arbitrator.
Appeal,gets reduced to 3-4.
@Dave – Has there been a hearing by the arbitrator since Tom Wilson’s notoriously reduced suspension? I can’t think of one, but your memory has to be better than mine.
Pionk is in concussion protocol 2 days and after playing the third period and the league is saying it’s a direct result of Spezza? That seems like speculation
Concussion symptoms don’t always show right away, when I received mine back in high school ended up feeling fine for about 4 hours after the hit then the headaches started to show
I’ve had like 7, they take longer to show us the more you have, usually takes a week by now, I’m 29
I’m not arguing you can’t have a concussion. I work in sport I get it. But tying it to a specific incident in a contact sport days later is difficult. He played the rest of the game, he could have suffered the head injury on any other hit in the game.
How many games suspension did the referees get for missing the blatant match penalty by Pionk for the intent to injure knee on knee hit? Pionk would have been in the shower removed from the game if the referees had been doing their job. As Gretzky once said: it’s a Mickey Mouse league.
@hersch – Didn’t #66 at one time give us “Garage League”? I wish they could really speak their minds right now about the inferno that is the NHL tire fire.
This ain’t it man. Only one of the hits was clear intent to injure, and you seem to have it backwards.
Yeah cuz i know when players are just skating by me, i always put out my knee to hit their knee. Just as a good lil bumpsky hit. Everybody does. Not just the few, with intent to injure on a play that is known to result in substantial injuries….. Jdgoat must stand for jeep daddy grave orange alligator tulip cuz you is are doobie retarded
Can you watch the replay and then try to say that again?
Seen it multiple. Not only did he stick out his leg, but stomped it down just to set it in. Now can you tell me what youre watching where that aint apparent?
And Slewban is still untouchable by George Parros and the NHL until he takes out Mcdavid or Draisaitl
Until he actually kills somebody
Actually if he did it to mcdavid he’d probably get away with it without even a fine
Unless he actually cripples or kills McDavid, Slewban would probably get away with it.
Its because his, at least the last one, is like a baby slew foot. He did it so carefully, making sure duud doesnt bump his head. Like a mother with her child shes upset with. I FKN HATE YOU, but please baby dont get hurt. Lol
lol.. “kills” .. some of the people on this site are so overly dramatic and love to exaggerate to comedic levels. How many people in the entire history of hockey have been killed on the ice that did not involve getting hit in the head with a puck?
I see that the “one” magical player McDavid got off without a suspension at all. Yet he was given a 5-minute penalty and a game misconduct. Heaven forbid the league suspend their best player.
That is far harsher than any penalty Slewban received for multiple Slewfoots this season.
It shouldnt have been a penalty at all. Refs calls dont matter. They straight biased af and the league nose zit. McDavid hit dudes shoulder while skating with the boards. Just did it with such force it turned duud into boards. People will literally cross check guys on the numbers head first into boards right in front of ref and not get called. The last thing in the world this league gives a shit about is player safety
Head of NHL Player Safety is a goon himself, it is like putting a fox in charge of a hen house.
How very Dops of them. The player who chose to be a pos and do the dirty move gets a wrist slap, while the player acting out of emotion in defense of their player whomst pos decided to tryn injure faces the real punishment. Never punish the bully pos. Always punish the team theyre tryna injure and bully like pos. Read yall loud and clear
A suspension-worthy play is always worthy of a suspension, regardless of the call or non-call by on-ice officials. Spezza’s hit was premeditated, dangerous, & intended to injure! Although he is not considered a dirty player, that was a dirty play – a VERY dirty play!!! A 6-game ban is harsh for a guy with no suspension history, but this play has absolutely no place in hockey!
Then the refs shouldda called and bottye the pos who committed to the knee on knee huh? Calls dont matter and yet spezzad never knee duud if refs wouldda called and thrown out the shitbag. Thats crazy.