Raffi Torres of the San Jose Sharks has been suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the Sharks' second round series with the Los Angeles Kings for an illegal check to the head of Kings' forward Jarrett Stoll, and the organization has been vocally unhappy about it. In fact, general manager Doug Wilson's comments on the matter have cost the team $100,000.
Wilson lambasted the league's decision, saying, ''It is abundantly clear that this was a clean hockey hit. As noted by the NHL, Raffi's initial point of contact was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit on an opponent who was playing the puck. He did not leave his feet or elevate, he kept his shoulder tucked and elbow down at his side, and he was gliding - not skating or charging.''
Torres has been slapped with four suspensions in his career, including this one, which is a major reason for his severe punishment. Wilson believes the NHL is unfairly targeting his player. ''It appears that the NHL has not only made an inappropriate application of this rule but is trying to make an example out of a player who is being judged on past events, one who has changed his game dramatically this season and taken only six minor penalties in 39 games,'' Wilson said.
Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's vice president of player safety said the suspension was handed down because Stoll's head was "the principal point of contact" on the hit, even though Torres initially made contact with Stoll's shoulder.
Wilson countered that Torres was not targeting Stoll's head and that the Kings' forward made himself vulnerable to the head contact when he was making a play on the puck.
Stoll missed Game 2 of the series and it is unclear when he will be able to return to the ice.
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