ST. LOUIS — Following the Avalanche’s 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Friday, coach Jared Bednar said he was a “little surprised” by the length of center Nazem Kadri’s eight-game suspension.
Kadri’s ban was a result of his illegal check to the head of Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2. Kadri is out for the next seven games, which puts nearly all of his second-round status in doubt if the Avalanche complete a sweep of the Blues on Sunday.
What irked Bednar after watching the Department of Safety’s video explanation of the suspension was the citing of Kadri’s disciplinary history.
“You watch the video and they talk about him being a ‘repeat offender’ — he’s been with us 18 months and doesn’t have a history,” Bednar said.
In an email to The Denver Post on Saturday, the NHL office offered clarity on repeat offender status and the 18-month clock.
The NHL said Kadri’s past suspensions contributed to the length of this punishment even if the last one was two years ago while playing for Toronto in the playoffs.
“The 18-month rule is primarily in place to determine fine and forfeited salary maximums and rates,” the league said. “It is not at all meant to periodically erase any player’s supplemental discipline history.”
In the Department of Safety’s section of the league’s website, it states: “It is important to note that even if a player is not defined as a ‘repeat offender,’ his past history may come into consideration when determining future supplemental discipline.”
While playing for the Maple Leafs, Kadri was suspended three games for interference (November 2013), four for an illegal check to the head (March 2015), four for cross-checking (April 2016), three for boarding (April 2018 playoffs) and five for a cross-check (April 2019).
Bednar said he watched all of the “head-shot suspensions” for the last year to attain a barometer for Kadri’s potential penalty.
“(There were) a lot of two-gamers getting handed that were significant hits to the head,” Bednar said. “We’ve had some guys put out with hits to the head who are still out. Generally the rule of thumb was in the playoffs you get a little less (of a suspension) — (Kadri) got significantly more.”
Kadri’s suspension was the longest in the playoffs since 2013 when San Jose’s Raffi Torres got six games for a head-shot on Los Angeles’ Jarret Stoll. It is the longest this year in the NHL, eclipsing the seven games Washington’s Tom Wilson got for hitting Boston’s Brandon Carlo.
“It’s done and over with in my book,” Bednar said “It’s like a guy getting hurt and missing time. … We have to live with the decisions they make and we don’t always have to agree. (Kadri) put himself in a bad spot on the hit and now he has to sit awhile.”
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Avalanche center Nazem Kadri’s past suspensions contributed to current eight-game ban, NHL says - The Denver Post
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