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Torres won’t appeal suspension, Sharks call punishment ‘grossly unfair’

RaffiTorres

San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres won’t appeal the suspension banning him from the remainder of the Western Conference semifinals.

Torres’ decision was addressed through a terse statement by Sharks GM Doug Wilson:

We are proud of the work Raffi has put in to successfully adjust his game. Although it’s unfortunate that Jarret was injured on the play, we feel this decision is grossly unfair to the Raffi, his teammates and our fans.

However, Raffi does not want to be a distraction to his teammates and has decided not to appeal this suspension and we respect that decision.

Wilson added the organization “strongly disagreed” with the suspension decision.

The full statement is definitely worth reading, as Wilson provides a lengthy explanation as to why the club feels Torres should’ve escaped supplemental discipline, saying “it is abundantly clear that this was a clean hockey hit.”

Torres, 31, was suspended a minimum of three and maximum of six games for his hit on Los Angeles’ Jarret Stoll during Game 1 of the Sharks-Kings series.

Under terms of the CBA, players are able to appeal suspensions to commissioner Gary Bettman.

Suspensions of six games in length or more are to be handled by an independent arbitrator, as explained here by the Globe and Mail:

Procedurally under the new CBA, a player’s appeal first goes to the commissioner. Contrary to what has been widely reported, there is no a games limit on appeals to the commissioner.

Players have 48 hours to make that appeal in writing.

According to the CBA, the commissioner must “endeavor to hear all appeals on an expedited basis.” If the commissioner’s ruling is for six or more games, the player then has seven days to file an appeal with the neutral discipline arbitrator “who shall have full remedial authority in respect of the matter.”

Currently, as the two sides continue to hammer out the language of the new CBA, there is no neutral discipline arbitrator in place.

Last playoffs, Torres was suspended for 25 games for hitting Chicago’s Marian Hossa. He successfully appealed that decision and had his sentence reduced to 21 games.