Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres has been suspended indefinitely, pending an in-person hearing Friday, April 20, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today. The hearing, which had been planned for today, was deferred at the request of the player and the National Hockey League Players' Association.
The hearing will be convened at the NHL's New York office for a hit Torres delivered to Chicago forward Marian Hossa 12:42 into the first period of Game 3 of the teams' Western Conference Quarterfinal series in Chicago on Tuesday, April 17.
Hossa left the game on a stretcher. Torres could be waiting to see how serious Hossa was injured to get the most appropriate punishment since Shanahan has said that suspension length is somewhat based on severity of injury. Because of the deferment, Torres will get a minimum 5 game suspension (as I understand it). He should get much much more.
Torres was fined $2500 for an elbow on December 29 and suspended two games for a charge on December 31.
All of this has left investors nervous.
"They're paying us a lot of money to associate with our brand," said NHL COO John Collins who came to the NHL from the NFL. "So when our brand is under attack in the press on issues as serious as player safety, they want to know that the league is on top of it and has a plan for dealing with it and hear the league articulate it. That feedback is always going to be there."
"It affects the business, our ability to attract new fans, to grow the business, to attract other blue-chip advertisers and brands (who want) to associate with the games," said Collins, who joined the NHL five years ago. "It also affects our ability to attract casual fans who maybe haven't watched all year and now they're hearing the buzz about the game."
Torres joins the list of suspensions as James Neal, Arron Asham and Nicklas Backstrom have all been suspended too.
