NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has upheld Colorado Avalanche centre Nazem Kadri‘s eight-game suspension after hearing an appeal last week.
Kadri was suspended for a hit to the head of St. Louis Blues defenceman Justin Faulk in Game 2 of their first-round series. Faulk was forced to leave the game and was unable to return to the series due to an upper-body injury. The Avalanche defeated the Blues in four games to advance to Round 2.
“Even if I accept as true Mr. Kadri’s contention that he did not intend to make head contact with Mr. Faulk (or to injure him), his actions were nonetheless reckless,” Bettman wrote in his summation of the appeal. “The force used was excessive and manifested a disregard for the safety of the opposing Player.”
Kadri has served three of the eight games of his suspension so far, with the Avalanche now taking on the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round with Game 2 of that series being played Wednesday. Colorado leads the series 1-0.
Including this current infraction, Kadri has been suspended six times for a total of 16 playoff games and 11 regular season games.
According to Colorado-based reporter Adrian Dater on Monday, Kadri will appeal this latest appeal to a neutral arbitrator. The ruling from the arbitrator will be binding, according to Dater.
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