Unacceptable off ice conduct (Voynov was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence in October 2014 and was originally banned indefinitely following his arrest; he was suspended for the entire 2019–20 NHL season. The neutral arbitrator uphold his suspension, but he was credited for serving 41 games. Therefore, he became eligible for reinstatement in January 2020.)[31]
Billy Coutu
Boston Bruins
2+1⁄2 years
April 1927
Assaulted referee Jerry Laflamme, tackled referee Billy Bell and started a Stanley Cup bench-clearing brawl, apparently on the orders of coach Art Ross (Originally banned for life, but penalty was commuted after two-and-a-half years, but Coutu never played in the NHL again.)
Dan Maloney
Detroit Red Wings
2 years
November 1975
Mentioned above (Banned from playing in Toronto only)
Damir Ryspayev
Barys Astana (KHL)
1+1⁄2 years
August 2016
Initiated a violent bench-clearing brawl against Tomáš Marcinko and other players from Red Star Kunlun during a preseason game[32] (Originally banned for life; penalty was commuted after 1 year and 5 months.)
Alexander Perezhogin
Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL)
89 games
April 2004
Slashed Garrett Stafford in the head (Perezhogin was suspended for five 2004 playoff games plus all 80 regular season games and four playoff games of the 2004–05 season, but the Russian Superleague did not honor his suspension unlike Todd Bertuzzi’s suspension, so he was able to play in that league’s 2004-05 season.)
Todd Bertuzzi
Vancouver Canucks
17 months (20 games—13 regular season games plus seven playoff games)
March 2004
Mentioned above (Since there was a labour dispute in the NHL the ensuing year, and the NHL is an IIHF member, the suspension was good for all IIHF member leagues in the ensuing season. Reinstated by the NHL Commissioner on August 8, 2005.)
André Deveaux
Rögle BK (SHL Qualifier)
10+1⁄2 months
March 2015
Assaulted unsuspecting Per Helmersson during a warmup (Deveaux subsequently agreed to terminate his contract.)[33]
Michael Liambas
Erie Otters (OHL)
68 games (64 regular season, 4 playoffs)
October 2009
Check to the head of the Kitchener Rangers’ Ben Fanelli, giving him a fractured skull. Suspension ended Liambas’ OHL career. Fanelli eventually recovered.
Raffi Torres
San Jose Sharks
41 games
October 2015
Illegal check to the head on Jakob Silfverberg and interference (longest non-lifetime suspension in NHL history)
Chris Simon
New York Islanders
30 games
December 2007
Stomped on Jarkko Ruutu’s ankle during a timeout[34]
Ari Lähteenmäki
HIFK (SM-liiga)
27 games
November 1986
Cross-checked Petri Lampinen in the face (with enough force to break the stick), and struck his head into the ice repeatedly. Longest suspension in SM-liiga’s history.[35]
Austin Watson
Nashville Predators
September 2018
Unacceptable off-ice conduct (Watson was arrested for domestic assault in June 2018; suspension was reduced to 18 games upon appeal)[36]
Chris Simon
New York Islanders
25 games
March 2007
Slashed Ryan Hollweg in the head
Jesse Boulerice
Philadelphia Flyers
October 2007
Cross-checked Ryan Kesler in the face
Marty McSorley
Boston Bruins
23 games
February 2000
Mentioned above (After his assault conviction, his NHL suspension was extended to one full year from the time of the incident, through February 21, 2001; however, McSorley did not sign a new contract before the next season, and never played in the NHL again.)
Gordie Dwyer
Tampa Bay Lightning
September 2000
Left the penalty box to try and engage in a fight and verbally and physically abused officials during a preseason game (Dwyer was suspended for remainder of preseason and 21 regular season games; he was also fined $10,000.)
Jan-Axel Alavaara
MoDo Hockey (SHL)
22 games
1998
Intentionally skated into an official[33]
Dale Hunter
Washington Capitals
21 games
April 1993
Deliberately hit and injured Pierre Turgeon after Turgeon had scored (incident occurred in Capitals’ final playoff game; suspension carried over to first 21 games of next regular season)
Raffi Torres
Phoenix Coyotes
April 2012
Illegal check of Marián Hossa in the head (originally 25 games, reduced to 21 games on appeal)
Evander Kane
San Jose Sharks
October 2021
Violated The NHL’s COVID-19 Protocols
Matt Nickerson
Milton Keynes Lightning
(EIHL)
20 games
January 2018
Abusing an official and striking a fan [37]
Tom Lysiak
Chicago Black Hawks
October 1983
Automatic suspension for intentionally tripping linesman Ron Foyt with his stick
Brad May
Phoenix Coyotes
November 2000
Slashed Steve Heinze in the nose
Steve Downie
Philadelphia Flyers
September 2007
Threw himself at Dean McAmmond behind the net
Dennis Wideman
Calgary Flames
January 2016
Cross-checked linesman Don Henderson from behind (reduced to 10 games on appeal in March 2016)
Tom Kühnhackl
Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
November 2011
Charging and elbowing Ryan Murphy
Patrice Cormier
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
January 2010
Elbowing Mikael Tam
Didrik Nøkleby Svendsen
Sparta Warriors (GET-ligaen)
November 2017
Forcefully and repeatedly punching a defenseless opponent in the head during a post-game brawl.
Tom Wilson
Washington Capitals
October 2018
Illegal check to the head on Oskar Sundqvist during a preseason game (reduced to 14 games on appeal in November 2018)
Sergei Belokon
Vityaz Chekhov (KHL)
18 games
December 2010
Deliberately hit and injured Roman Červenka and Martin Škoula
Semir Ben-Amor
Jokerit (then SM-liiga)
September 2012
Assaulted Ville Peltonen by illegally checking him and beating him while he was down; the team was also fined €40,000.[38]
Matt Cooke
Pittsburgh Penguins
17 games
March 2011
Elbowed Ryan McDonagh in the head. Cooke was suspended for remainder of regular season and round one of 2011 playoffs.
Tomas Javeblad
Luleå HF (SHL)
1990
Attacked a referee over a goal that Javeblad disagreed with[39]
Eddie Shore
Boston Bruins
16 games
December 1933
Sucker punched Ace Bailey from behind
Rafael Rotter
Vienna Capitals (EBHL)
16 games
December 2010
Attacked the referee after a high stick infraction was not called.
Maurice Richard
Montreal Canadiens
15 games
March 1955
Knocked out linesman Cliff Thompson during a fight with Hal Laycoe; this incident led to the Richard Riot. Richard was suspended for the rest of the 1954–55 season including playoffs.
Wilf Paiement
Colorado Rockies
October 1978
Caused deliberate facial injuries to Dennis Polonich
Dave Brown
Philadelphia Flyers
November 1987
Cross-checked and injured Tomas Sandström. Brown was suspended for 13 regular season games and 2 games against the New York Rangers.
Tony Granato
Los Angeles Kings
February 1994
Slashed Neil Wilkinson in the head.
Shawn Thornton
Boston Bruins
December 2013
Punched Brooks Orpik in the head while he was on his back on the ice.
Steffen Thoresen
Vålerenga Ishockey (GET-ligaen)
March 2011
Knocking Lørenskog player Eerikki Koivu down to the ice, then repeatedly punching his head as he was down.
Josh Gratton
Vityaz Chekhov (KHL)
December 2010
Participating in a mass brawl.
Ivan Larin
Vityaz Chekhov (KHL)
14 games
December 2010
Deliberately hit and injured Roman Červenka and Martin Škoula
Sebastian Karlsson
Linköpings HC (SHL)
November 2011
Illegal check to the head on Magnus Kahnberg that caused a concussion requiring hospitalization.[40] Karlsson was suspended for 11 SHL games plus 3 national team games.
Tom Wilson
Washington Capitals
September 2018
Illegal check to the head on Oskar Sundqvist during a preseason game (reduced to 14 games on appeal in November 2018).
Wayne Maki
St. Louis Blues
30 days
September 1969
Mentioned above
Ted Green
Boston Bruins
13 games
September 1969
Mentioned above
André Roy
Tampa Bay Lightning
April 2002
Left the penalty box and physically abused a linesman while trying to start a fight with players in the New York Rangers penalty box.
Matti Lamberg
Ässät (Liiga)
September 2017
Charged Valtteri Hietanen with a check to the head[41]
David Shaw
New York Rangers
12 games
October 1988
Slashed Mario Lemieux in the throat
Ron Hextall
Philadelphia Flyers
May 1989
Attacked Chris Chelios
Matt Johnson
Los Angeles Kings
November 1998
Sucker punched Jeff Beukeboom in the back of the head
Brantt Myhres
San Jose Sharks
February 1999
Left the bench to attack Mattias Norström
Darcy Verot
Vityaz Chekhov (KHL)
December 2010
Deliberately hit and injured Roman Červenka and Martin Škoula
Owen Nolan
San Jose Sharks
11 games
February 2001
Hit Grant Marshall in the face with his stick
Tie Domi
Toronto Maple Leafs
May 2001
Elbowed Scott Niedermayer in the face. Domi was suspended for the remainder of the 2001 playoffs (3 playoff games plus 8 regular season games).
Jimmy Mann
Winnipeg Jets
10 games
October 1980
Mentioned above
Peter Lindmark
Malmö IF (SHL)
1996
Swung his stick at the referee’s head[40]
Ruslan Salei
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
October 1999
Checked Mike Modano face-first into the boards from behind
Scott Niedermayer
New Jersey Devils
March 2000
Slashed Peter Worrell in the head
Kip Brennan
Los Angeles Kings
December 2003
Automatic suspension for returning to the ice to engage in a brawl after being ejected for roughing an opponent.
Eric Godard
Pittsburgh Penguins
February 2011
Automatic suspension for leaving the bench to fight Micheal Haley after Haley had challenged Pittsburgh goalie, Brent Johnson during the Penguins-Islanders brawl.
Trevor Gillies
New York Islanders
March 2011
Dangerous hit on Cal Clutterbuck in first game back from a nine-game suspension as a result of the Penguins–Islanders brawl.
David Clarkson
Toronto Maple Leafs
September 2013
Automatic suspension for leaving the bench to engage in a fight
Paul Bissonnette
Phoenix Coyotes
September 2013
Automatic suspension for leaving the bench to fight a Los Angeles Kings player on an illegal ice change
Patrick Kaleta
Buffalo Sabres
October 2013
Delivered illegal check to the head of Jack Johnson
Antoine Vermette
Anaheim Ducks
February 2017
Automatic suspension for slashing linesman Shandor Alphonso
Luke Witkowski
Detroit Red Wings
November 2017
Automatic suspension for returning to the ice to engage in an altercation with Matthew Tkachuk after being ejected by the officials
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