The first suspension of the 2012 year NOT issued by Shanahan came down today against Florida's Krystofer Barch. He will not play in tonight's game against the New York Rangers.
Barch made an inappropriate comment directed at P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens at the end of the first period on New Year's Eve, 2011. Subban, who's black, didn't hear the comment. But the officials did. The comment essentially asserted that Barch thought Subban looked like he slipped on a banana peel, only with a lot more profanity used on top of that.
Barch said he spoke with Subban the day after the verbal exchange to explain what happened and that Subban was understanding. Barch said he also received support from ex-teammate Trevor Daley and assistant coach Paul Jerrard, both of whom are black and members of the Dallas Stars organization.
Barch said during his phone hearing Thursday morning with Campbell that he was told if the League believed his statement was racially charged, he would have received a 5-to-10-game suspension.
"Mr. Barch has admitted making the remark, but denies that the comment was racially motivated," said Colin Campbell, Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. "While we accept Mr. Barch's assertion, as a player in the National Hockey League, he must be held accountable for making a comment that, in the context in which it was made, and in light of the entirety of the circumstances, was offensive and unacceptable."
Shanahan is in charge of player safety and this was not an issue of safety which is why Campbell and not Shanahan issued the suspension.
"I know myself and what I said, it may have been inappropriate, but it was nowhere along the lines of racial slur," Barch said. "The things I said were pretty explicit, maybe not for kids' ears. That's why I really can't repeat what I said, because it wouldn't come across…my grandma wouldn't want to hear it. Put it that way."
At the time, Barch was given a 10-minute misconduct penalty and ejected from the game.
It appears, by all accounts, that everyone will move forward from this negative incident. Barch used several examples in his apology to show examples of his non-bias stance and appeared sincerely apologenic for his unexcusable remarks. He hopes to move forward.
"For my sake, my friend's sake, my family's sake, I never said anything that was racially driven. There wasn't a slur. It's nice that it's over with now with everything coming out. At the same time, I feel bad for the team with what the guys have been through with the cloud hanging over it."
