NHL upholds Nazem Kadri’s eight-game suspension
Jun 8, 2021, 10:32 AM
Nazem Kadri’s eight-game suspension has been upheld by a neutral arbitrator, according to multiple reports.
The Colorado Avalanche forward was suspended May 21 for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup First Round at Ball Arena on May 19.
The Avalanche center is eligible to return for a potential Game 7 of the second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Kadri served three games of the suspension in Games 3 and 4 against the Blues and Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Second Round against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.
“The eight games, I’m a little surprised to be honest with you,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said when the suspension was announced. “I looked through all the headshot suspensions for the last year. A lot of two-gamers get handed out that were significant hits to the head. We’ve had some guys put out with hits to the head that you know are still out with no suspension and two games.
“So I thought, generally the rule of thumb, in playoffs, you get a little less, and he got significantly more, so it is what it is. We have to deal with it and we need other guys to step up and I’m not going to worry about it past today. We have to live with the decisions [NHL Player Safety] make and they make them for a reason. We don’t always have to agree when it’s their decision and you’ve got to live with it.”
Faulk, who did not return in Game 2, did not play in the final two games of the series.
This is the third time Kadri has been suspended in the postseason.
