After high-sticking Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings’ Gustav Nyquist received a six-game suspension. Antoine Vermette was given a 10 game ban for slashing an official. Both were controversial calls. Let’s take a look at some of the longest suspensions in NHL history.
The Worst Suspensions in NHL History
1. Billy Coutu, Boston Bruins
On April 1927 Coutu received a lifetime ban from the NHL after assaulting two referees and starting a Stanley Cup bench-clearing brawl. The league dropped the ban after two-and-a-half years, but he never played in the NHL again.
2. Raffi Torres, San Jose Sharks
On October 3rd 2015, Torres hit Jakob Silfverberg‘s head in a pre-season game. He was given a 41 game suspension. He hasn’t played since.
3. Chris Simon, New York Islanders
December 19th 2007, Simon purposely stepped on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jarkko Ruutu‘s foot. He was given a 30-game suspension.
4. Jesse Boulerice, Philadelphia Flyers
Boulerice cross-checked Ryan Kesler, who was with the Vancouver Canucks at the time, in the face on October 10th 2007. He had to sit out for 25 games that season.
5. Chris Simon, New York Islanders
Here we go again. Simon was given a 25 game suspension on March 11th 2007. He missed the rest of the regular season (15 games), the Stanley Cup Playoffs ( five games), and the first five games of the 2007-08 season. Simon swung his stick and hit New York Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg in the face.
6. Marty McSorley, Boston Bruins
23 games were given to McSorley in February 2000 for hitting Vancouver Canucks Donald Brasher in the head with his stick. On November 7th 2000, the suspension was extended to February 20th 2001. McSorley never played another NHL game. He probably feels pretty McSorley about that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTOfsoJAij4
7. Raffi Torres, Phoenix Coyotes
Torres laid a blindside hit on Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa on April 17th 2012. He sat for 21 games.
8. Dale Hunter, Washington Capitals
The New York Islanders scored a goal during the 1993 playoffs, Hunter didn’t like that, and hit Islanders Pierre Turgeon after the goal. He watched the rest of the playoffs from afar during his 21 game suspension.
So far this season there have been 14 total suspensions, and eight fines, which equates to 54 man games lost (eight of them being pre-season games). Suspensions came to Andrew Shaw, Nicklas Hjalmarsson, Tanner Pearson, Radko Gudas, Dale Weise, David Pastrnak, Tom Gilbert, Mark Boroweicki, Jamie Oleksiak, Cody Eakin, Mike Hoffman, Anthony DeAngelo, Gustav Nyquist, and Antoine Vermette.
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