The AHL announced today that the Bakersfield Condors’ defenceman Brandon Manning, under contract with the Edmonton Oilers has been suspended for five games. In the NHL, Manning already has one career suspension.
.@TheAHL announces suspension → https://t.co/NoUj7NsiGW pic.twitter.com/2oJW9Lq0Ij
— AHL Communications (@AHLPR) January 21, 2020
Brandon Manning Suspended
Manning has been suspended for five games for an incident with Bokondji Imama of the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate for the Los Angeles Kings. He was given a game misconduct for the usage of a racial slur towards an opponent, in line with AHL Rule 23.9.
He has four assists in 10 games with the Condors. With the big club in Edmonton, he has one goal in nine games. He also added 17 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 46.0 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of -4.7 percent.
Over his eight-year NHL career, Manning has played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks in addition to the Oilers. He has put up 14 goals and 34 assists for 48 career points in 255 career games. Manning was not drafted in his draft year.
Manning released a statement through his team.
A statement from Brandon Manninghttps://t.co/dQg8azsv5c pic.twitter.com/wh53qNfJDZ
— Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) January 21, 2020
What This Means for the Future
So, it’s been a season full of issues with diversity and inclusion at the NHL level. Now, minor-league level incidents are getting looked at with significantly more scrutiny. In Manning’s case, deservedly so.
Despite an apology, all players need to hold themselves to high standards of morality on and off the ice. Interactions like this between players are extremely demeaning to those who are victims of it, and Manning crossed a significant boundary here.
For the Oilers, you can expect them to let Manning hit free agency once his contract is up at the end of this season. For Manning, his NHL career is likely over at this point. This season, Manning has failed to prove anything at the NHL level. An incident like this is permanently damaging to a career.
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