The NHL suspended Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron for six games on Monday for a retaliatory cross-check while teammate and captain Dylan Larkin was lying unconscious on the ice.
The play started when the Ottawa Senators' Mathieu Joseph hit Larkin in the back of the head during a net-front scramble during the first period Saturday. Larkin fell into Ottawa's Parker Kelly and lost consciousness.
Perron delivered a high hit to the head of Ottawa's Artem Zub, who had fallen on Larkin and had just stood up. Perron received a match penalty for intent to injure.
"This is not a hockey play," the NHL's player safety department said in its suspension video. "This is an intentional strike with a stick made with the purpose of exacting retribution on an opponent."
The department disputed the Red Wings' assertion that the cross-check was not a direct blow to head.
Perron, who had been fined earlier in his career for a retaliatory cross-check, can appeal the suspension to commissioner Gary Bettman and later to an independent arbitrator. Perron will forfeit $148,437.48 in pay.
The Red Wings placed Larkin (upper body) on the injured list, retroactive to Saturday, meaning he'll miss at least a week. Coach Derek Lalonde told reporters that Larkin was in good spirits, and the team doesn't have an exact timetable for when he can return.
Agent Allan Walsh went off on social media about the player safety department and league disciplinarian George Parros, posting videos of other incidents that received fewer games.
"The Dept. of Player Suspensions (aka the Parros Kangaroo Court) is a media/PR entity that has nothing to do with ‘Player Safety’. Baseball bat swing to players head? No hearing. David Perron-1100 NHL games without suspension. Zub played the next shift. 6 games is a farce!" Walsh posted on X, formerly Twitter.
"There have been other incidents of players violently cross checking opposing players in the face. Teeth flying, concussion, blood gushing. 2 or 3 games. Here there was NO INJURY, the concussion spotter didn’t even remove the player from the game."
Perron's suspension was the second Monday involving a case of retaliation. Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson got one game for going after the Florida Panthers' Nick Cousins in Sunday's game.
Gudbranson had objected to Cousins' hard check into the back boards, which was reduced from five minutes to two after a review. Later in the period, Gudbranson approached Cousins, spun him to the ice and threw punches to the back of the head while the Panthers player was on the ice. The defenseman received 27 minutes in penalties.
The suspension video said that violated the league's aggressor rule and Cousins was an unwilling participant in the fight.
Gudbranson, who was suspended once earlier in his career, will forfeit $20,833.33 in pay.