The NHL has suspended Nate Schmidt for 20 games without pay. The league says the Vegas Golden Knights defenseman violated the rules regarding performance-enhancing drugs. Schmidt is not able to play in any pre-season games but can attend training camp.

Nate Schmidt Violates Performance-Enhancing Drugs Rules

Nate Schmidt suspended 20 games for violating the NHL's performance enhancing drug program. In a statement, the @GoldenKnights say they "strongly disagree" with the ruling.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) September 2, 2018

Schmidt set career highs in almost every stat last season. Schmidt was taken from the Washington Capitals in the 2017 Expansion Draft. He played 76 games for the Golden Knights last season. In those, he scored five goals and totaled 36 points. This trumped his previous mark of 17, which he set in the 2015-16 season with Washington. He also contributed seven points in the playoff-run, again a career-high.

The Golden Knights didn’t quietly accept the loss of one of their top defensemen. They released a statement saying, “we firmly believe that the presence of a trace of the banned substance was accidental and unintentional… we believe it is clear Nate was not able to reasonably ascertain how the substance entered his body.” They also site Schmidt’s honest demeanor and say they will stand by and support him at this time.

Schmidt’s statement was equally as upset. He said, “I have only used supplements provided by my NHL team.” He goes on to say he has been tested multiple times, including twice last season, and has always come up clean. He says the amount of the Performance-Enhancing drug was equal to seven billionths of a milligram. The environmental doctor that testified at his appeal said it was the equivalent of throwing a grain of salt into an Olympic-sized pool. According to the doctor, Schmidt could not have prevented the substance from getting into his body.

Deryk Engelland is most likely to get a promotion in Schmidt’s absence. Engelland scored 23 points in 79 games last season, also setting a career-high in that aspect.

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