The NHL announced today that Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith will be gone for the remainder of the preseason and suspended for five regular season games. This comes after his shoulder hit to the head of Chicago’s Ben Smith during Wednesday’s preseason game at the United Center.
Smith, who was assigned to Grand Rapids today will be eligible to play for the Griffins right away since NHL suspensions don’t carry over to the AHL. However whenever the Wings do recall Smith, he must sit out five games.
“Obviously, we’re trying to cut down on the head hits. You never want to see anybody get hurt,” Smith said. “It’s a tough play. I was never targeting his head. I feel terrible at the outcome of what happened. I got in touch with him and just apologized and said I had no intention of doing that.”
Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock and general manager Ken Holland both thought the suspension was too severe…
“I thought it was a little extreme, to tell you the truth,” Babcock said. “I still believe when you’re a left-handed guy (Brendan Smith), chasing the guy and you put your stick down on the puck, so stick-on-stick, body-on-body, and the guy pulls back, he’s got some responsibility in this area as well.”
“In saying that, we’re not condoning anyone getting hit in the head with someone’s shoulder or any of that. They’re a work in progress at the league, too, trying to figure this all out and how to protect the players. He’s going to learn from this and move on.”
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Smith will forfeit $23,648.65.
The suspension was handed down by former Red Wing and the new disciplinarian chief in the NHL Brendan Shanahan.
Re: Mlive.com
