Oct. 09--San Jose forward Raffi Torres apologized to Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg for inflicting what the NHL described as "a late, forceful, illegal check to the head" when it suspended Torres for 41 games, half of the regular-season schedule.
Torres took four strides "before driving into a high, late hit that makes Silfverberg's head the main point of contact," the NHL said in a video explaining its sanctions against Torres for his hit in an exhibition game last Saturday. It was Torres' fifth league-imposed suspension; in his 703-game NHL career Torres also has been fined three times and warned twice, in the majority of those cases for delivering dangerous hits to the head.
Silfverberg was out for the rest of that game and some practice time but went through a full practice Thursday and is expected to play in the Ducks' season opener Saturday in -- yes -- San Jose.
"I accept the 41-game suspension handed down to me by the NHL's Department of Player Safety," Torres said in a statement released Thursday by the Sharks.
"I worked extremely hard over the last two years following reconstructive knee surgery to resume my NHL career, and this is the last thing I wanted to happen. I am disappointed I have put myself in a position to be suspended again. I sincerely apologize to Jakob for the hit that led to this suspension, and I'm extremely thankful that he wasn't seriously injured as a result of the play. I also want to apologize to my Sharks teammates and the organization."
Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson condemned the hit in a separate statement. His words were noteworthy because they didn't include the expression of support for the offending player that's usually made after such incidents. That omission could have been unintentional, but it also might have been recognition that Torres had hurt the team once again by leveling that illegal hit.
"The Sharks organization fully supports the NHL's supplementary discipline decision regarding Raffi," Wilson said. "While we do not believe there was any malicious intent, this type of hit is unacceptable and has no place in our game. There is a difference between playing hard and crossing the line and there is no doubt, in this instance, Raffi crossed that line. We're very thankful that Jakob was not seriously injured as a result of this play."
