Red Wings forward David Perron is appealing a six-game suspension that was handed to him following an incident in Detroit's 5-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, the NHL Players' Association announced Tuesday night.
The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Perron on Monday for a cross-check to the head of Ottawa defenseman Artem Zub. The league viewed the hit as a retaliatory move after the Senators' Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly hit Detroit captain Dylan Larkin, leaving Larkin unconscious on the ice.
With the suspension being at least six games, Perron will first appeal directly to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, and if needed, will then make another appeal to a neutral arbitrator.
The NHL deemed that Perron's cross-check was an "intentional strike with the stick made with the purpose of exacting retribution on an opponent," rather than "a hockey play." He was given a match penalty for the incident, which occurred at 13:50 of the first period.
Joseph and Kelly were given minor penalties, and Zub ended up staying in the game. Larkin was placed on injured reserve on Monday. There is no timetable for his return.
Allan Walsh, Perron's agent, considered the suspension "a farce," trying to turn the Department of Player Safety's attention to his client's otherwise clean track record. Perron has played in 1,081 career games and has never faced a suspension.
Perron, 35, has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 26 games this season, his 17th in the league.
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