Bettman upholds McAvoy’s four-game suspension

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the four-game suspension given to Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy for an illegal check to the head of Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Oct. 30.

Since the suspension is less than six games and did not involve an in-person hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety, McAvoy is ineligible to appeal Bettman’s decision to a neutral arbitrator.

In an overtime win against the Panthers, McAvoy received a match penalty at 9 minutes, 24 seconds of the third period for delivering a check that made Ekman-Larsson’s head the main point of contact. One day later, the NHL Department of Player Safety suspended the defenseman for four games, saying the contact was avoidable.

McAvoy’s appeal hearing was held Tuesday. The NHLPA asked for Bettman to reduce the suspension from four games to three.

In his ruling, Bettman noted that McAvoy had acknowledged that he did not deliver the check as he intended and that he had made a mistake because of “a split-second decision.” McAvoy also said he did not intend to injure Ekman-Larsson.

“While I recognize that the game of hockey is fast-paced, I cannot excuse actions such as these which are wholly avoidable,” Bettman wrote. “Simply put, Mr. McAvoy could have, and should have, avoided making this illegal hit, but did not.”

McAvoy already has served three games of the suspension. He’s eligible to return Saturday when the Bruins play at the Montreal Canadiens.

This marks the second time the NHLPA appealed a suspension to Bettman this season. Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson appealed his four-game ban for a hit to the head of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine. Bettman also upheld that suspension.