Well it appears David Clarkson’s tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs will get off to rocky start after the NHL announced that he will be suspended for 10 games, for leaving the bench during a massive brawl that took place in a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night.
According to Puck Daddy of Yahoo! Sports, the NHL released this statement concerning Clarkson’s suspension:
At 10:01 of the third period, Clarkson was assessed a game misconduct penalty under Rule 70.6, which states: “A game misconduct penalty shall be imposed on the player who was the first or second player to leave the players’ or penalty bench during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation, from either or both teams.”
The suspension is mandated by Rule 70.10, which states: “The first player to leave the players’ or penalty bench illegally during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation from either or both teams shall be suspended without pay for the next 10 regular League and/or playoff games of his team.”
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Clarkson will forfeit $269,230.80. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Clarkson was the Maple Leafs’ big free-agent acquisition after they signed him to a 7-year $36.75 million contract in the offseason. He flew off the bench after a Sabres player targeted the Leafs unimposing scorer Phil Kessel, in an attempt at retribution for an earlier play.
Check the brawl out here: