The OHL said the deliberate use of a stick as a weapon to an opponent's head, followed by further contact on a defenseless player, is dangerous and unacceptable.
The OHL suspended Brampton Steelheads defenseman Luke Dragusica for the rest of the 2025-26 regular season and playoffs after slashing a player in the head.
With just over two minutes remaining in the third period of Brampton's Nov. 14 game against the Oshawa Generals, Dragusica was checked into the boards behind the net by Generals defenseman Brady Blaseg.
Dragusica was responding to a hard, clean hit behind the net. Both players fell, and Dragusica promptly two-handed Blaseg on the side of his head/face in an incident that had the potential to be much worse.
As both players stood up, with Blaseg facing away from Dragusica, the latter two-handed slashed Blaseg across the face. Blaseg dropped to the ice, bleeding, and Dragusica delivered a cross-check before fighting another Generals player. Dragusica was assessed a match penalty.
"The deliberate use of a stick as a weapon to an opponent’s head, followed by further contact on a defenseless player, is a dangerous and unacceptable act that has no place in the OHL," the league wrote in a statement.
"As part of this sanction, Dragusica will be required to complete a league-mandated education, counselling and community service program and appear before a Reinstatement Panel before being eligible to apply for reinstatement for the 2026-27 season."
The decision to suspend Dragusica for the remainder of the season comes after a comprehensive review of the incident by the league's player safety department. It incorporated video, game reports, interviews and submissions from the Steelheads and Generals.
The OHL also said it will continue to support the physical and mental well-being of all players involved, and the incident will be incorporated into education for OHL players, coaches and officials to reinforce the league's commitment to player safety and respect.
Dragusica, 18, sees his season end with two assists and 37 penalty minutes in 15 games. This is his third season with the Steelheads franchise.
Blaseg, 17, returned to action the following game. The Athletic's Scott Wheeler reported Blaseg was cut open across his mouth, but he didn't lose any teeth.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.