Let's go back to the preseason and Jean-Francois Jacques who was suspended for leaving the bench to start an altercation.
We also have new video that confirms my assumption that Downie was never on the ice before the altercation.
Yahoo makes the argument that this may have been a legal line change since the whistle had blown.
I don't think so based on the video evidence that he was never on the ice. Even if the intent was to make a line change, it clearly had not been done before the altercation broke out.
The difference in Rule 70.2 and Rule 70.10 is simply "did the player make a legal line change?"
From the Jacques video, it is clear that the line change was legal and that he had no intention of doing anything on the ice except start a fight. This is a 70.2 rule violation, which is what Shanahan quoted in the video.
With Downie, he did not appear to enter the ice legally and only did so to participate in the fight. That would be a 70.10 violation.
Punishment is automatic in the 70.10 rule. 10 games and a hefty fine. Punishment under 70.2 is supplimental only in accordance to Rule 28 (Supplimental Discipline). In fact, the on-ice officials do not have the authority to issue any additional punishments when a player does what Jacques did. The fact he left the bench cannot be taken into account when meriting in-game punishment (such as a game misconduct).
Just wanted to weigh in on that. The people at Yahoo did not go into as much detail when perhaps they should have. Since they brought it up.
