Jason Spezza Set To Appeal Suspension.
PUBLICATION
December 8, 2021 (5:04 PM)
There was definitely some surprise and shock yesterday when the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Jason Spezza's suspension.
Six games for a player who's never really had discipline trouble through his very long NHL career.
Spezza and the Leafs will appeal the suspension.
«Look,» coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday night. «I think everybody in this room, everybody in the game knows the character and integrity that Jason Spezza has through his entire career. We do and always will support him. He's going to weigh his options that he has in this process.
«But from our perspective, it's important that we just press on here. That's all we can do.»
Spezza as of right now is eligible to return to action on�December 19 against Seattle.
An appeal is a long process that will start with sending his appeal to commissioner Gary Bettman, if Bettman upholds the suspension Spezza can bring it to an independent arbitrator.�During his hearing, the Leafs argued that:
(a) this was not kneeing, (b) Pionk was eligible to be checked on the play, and (c) Spezza could've delivered a legal check had Pionk not fallen further toward the ice before contact. (From Sportsnet)
Player safety agreed only that Pionk was eligible to be hit. Even so, the department maintains that the onus is on Spezza to get lower to deliver a clean hit and avoid head contact.
Player safety described Spezza's actions as «reckless and retaliatory» for Pionk's knee-on-knee hit of Rasmus Sandin earlier in the game, describing the Spezza hit as a «forceful retribution on a player who is in a vulnerable position.»
The department also weighed Pionk's injury; the Jets announced the defenceman is in concussion protocol.
Do you think Spezza has any chance to win his appeal?
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