Perron received a match penalty for the incident and now is at risk of a suspension greater than five games from the NHL's Department of Player Safety
Perron received a match penalty for the incident and now is at risk of a suspension greater than five games from the NHL's Department of Player Safety
In the immediate aftermath of a frightening injury to Dylan Larkin, David Perron rushed to the defense of his captain with a flying crosscheck to the head of Senators defenseman Artem Zub.
As it turned out, Zub was not even the culprit for Larkin's injury (that blame belonged to a combination of Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly).
After an extended deliberation, the referees determined that Kelly and Joseph each deserved a minor penalty, while Perron was assessed a five-minute major and match penalty.
It's understandable that Perron got five for what was undeniably a reckless check to Zub's head. However, it's also quite difficult to comprehend how Detroit ended up with the only major after a sequence in which its captain was knocked unconscious on the ice.
The fact that both Joseph and Kelly played a role in Larkin's injury did make it a bit trickier to assess either individual a major, but when you zoom out on the situation, it does seem unjust for the Red Wings to receive the sole major from the incident.
Nonetheless, today, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced that it would be offering Perron an in-person hearing for his offense.
An in-person hearing (as opposed to a phone hearing) means that Perron can receive a suspension in excess of five games. That doesn't mean that Perron is guaranteed a suspension of six or more games, but it certainly suggests that the Red Wings will be without Perron for more than just a game or two.