Detroit Red Wings F David Perron facing suspension from the NHL after his cross-check to the head of Ottawa’s Artem Zub.
The atmosphere was charged with emotion last night at Little Caesars Arena as Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was rendered unconscious following a hit to the back of his head from Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph and a subsequent collision with Patrick Kelly. Amid the concern for Larkin’s well-being, forward David Perron crossed a line by delivering a cross-check to the head of Senators forward Artem Zub, whom he wrongly attributed to Larkin’s injury. As a consequence, Perron now faces the prospect of a significant suspension from the NHL
Perron retaliated for Larkin, though against the wrong player
Perron reacted swiftly, seeking retribution for Larkin’s injury by delivering a severe cross-check to Zub’s head, believing Zub was responsible for Larkin’s condition. His actions resulted in an ejection from the game, automatically triggering a review from the NHL Department of Player Safety.
Perron has been offered an in-person hearing for his actions, where it will be determined the extent of his punishment.
An in-person hearing means that Perron faces the potential to be suspended for as many as five games or longer.
Perron is in his second season with the Red Wings and has tallied 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 26 games played.
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was injured after a hit to the back of the head from Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph
- David Perron immediately stepped in and sought vengeance with a brutal cross-check to the head of Artem Zub, whom he mistakenly believed was responsible for Larkin’s injury. He was ejected from the game.
- Perron has been offered an in-person hearing for his actions, which carry the possibility of a five game suspension.
Bottom Line: Perron needed to show restraint in that situation
In such a tense and emotional moment, it’s understandable that a veteran player like Perron would feel compelled to retaliate against an opponent whom he believed was involved in his teammate and captain’s injury. However, his method of retaliation was certainly inappropriate and not the right approach to address the situation.
It’s plausible that Perron might have handled the situation better by directly confronting Joseph, the player involved in Larkin’s injury, perhaps by dropping the gloves and initiating a fight. However, Perron’s misdirected action toward the wrong player will likely result in his absence from the Detroit Red Wings lineup for the upcoming games.
