EvanL
03-22-2004, 11:21 PM
THE CANADIAN PRESS
The NHL has suspended Wade Belak eight games for his two-handed chop to the face of Colorado defenceman Ossi Vaananen.
The Maple Leafs tough guy will be out for Toronto's remaining six regular-season games and the club's first two post-season games as a result of his slash in Saturday night's game, an infraction that earned Belak a match penalty for attempt to injure.
Belak met with league discilplinaian Colin Campbell at the league's head office in Toronto on Monday afternoon before the NHL disciplinarian handed down his decision.
Belak is a repeat offender, having received a two-game suspension in November 2002 when he elbowed Washington defenceman Brendan Witt in the head.
As a result, he will forfeit $67,682.94 US in salary.
"Mr. Belak used his stick in a careless, dangerous and unacceptable manner," Campbell, the NHL's vice-president and director of hockey operations, said in a statement. "Players must be responsible for their sticks at all times, and blows with the stick to the head area will not be tolerated."
The six-foot-five, 221-pound Belak has one goal, one assist and 109 penalty minutes in 34 games this season, his fourth with the Leafs. A career fighter, the Saskatoon native has seven goals, 15 assists and 811 penalty minutes in 275 career NHL games. He had a career-high 196 penalty minutes in 55 games last season.
The NHL has suspended Wade Belak eight games for his two-handed chop to the face of Colorado defenceman Ossi Vaananen.
The Maple Leafs tough guy will be out for Toronto's remaining six regular-season games and the club's first two post-season games as a result of his slash in Saturday night's game, an infraction that earned Belak a match penalty for attempt to injure.
Belak met with league discilplinaian Colin Campbell at the league's head office in Toronto on Monday afternoon before the NHL disciplinarian handed down his decision.
Belak is a repeat offender, having received a two-game suspension in November 2002 when he elbowed Washington defenceman Brendan Witt in the head.
As a result, he will forfeit $67,682.94 US in salary.
"Mr. Belak used his stick in a careless, dangerous and unacceptable manner," Campbell, the NHL's vice-president and director of hockey operations, said in a statement. "Players must be responsible for their sticks at all times, and blows with the stick to the head area will not be tolerated."
The six-foot-five, 221-pound Belak has one goal, one assist and 109 penalty minutes in 34 games this season, his fourth with the Leafs. A career fighter, the Saskatoon native has seven goals, 15 assists and 811 penalty minutes in 275 career NHL games. He had a career-high 196 penalty minutes in 55 games last season.