Slava Voynov about to hit NHL modern-day suspension record
When Slava Voynov entered the NHL in 2011-12, it was probably not his goal to set the record he is about to break.
According to the Orange County Register, Voynov is about to bust through the NHL's suspension mark. Voynov has been banned (with pay) by the NHL since Oct. 20 for domestic violence charges against his wife.
Monday's Kings game at Calgary will be Voynov's 31st contest missed, Says the author of the story, Rich Hammond, who has been all over this from the get-go:
Voynov, suspended by the league since his Oct.20 arrest, will miss his 31st consecutive game. That’s the longest suspension for any player, for any reason, in the NHL’s modern era. Only Boston’s Billy Coutu, who received a lifetime ban because of an on-ice brawl in 1927, has served a longer punishment.
The NHL’s second-longest suspension previously belonged to Chris Simon of the New York Islanders, who got a 30-game ban in 2007 for deliberately stomping his skate blade onto the foot on Pittsburgh’s Jarkko Ruutu.
Voynov also pleaded 'not guilty' Monday on his charges. According to The Los Angeles Times, a pre-trial hearing is set for Jan. 28 and a jury trial will be set for March 2.
So what does this all mean? This is a 'record' that likely will keep growing, and won't stop any time in the near future. But it's also a mark the NHL probably doesn't keep handy. Essentially with this case, history keeps being made ... in the worst way possible
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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