The Los Angeles Kings announced on Wednesday that they had suspended highly-regarded prospect Patrik Bartosak, only a day after it was revealed that Bartosak waived arraignment on 12 charges - one a felony charge of second-degree assault - in connection with an incident that took place on Nov. 16 and involved his ex-girlfriend. The New Hampshire Union Call was the first to report the charges against Bartosak, including that he allegedly choked the 22-year-old woman and slammed her against a wall before threatening her life.
Here is the statement, in full, from the Kings organization, announcing Barotsak's suspension:
"This morning our Club suspended Patrik Bartosak for his actions resulting in his arrest in Manchester, NH on November 16. We take this matter very seriously. Our response in this matter reflects our extreme disappointment, particularly given the programs we have instituted internally and the commitment our organization has made to educating our players on the prevention of domestic violence. This is the first step in an ongoing process as we continue to gather information related to this incident and monitor the legal proceedings."
Bartosak is the second Kings player in a year to face an arrest on charges of domestic assault. Defenseman Slava Voynov was arrested last season after an altercation with his wife. Despite the wife's back-tracking, Voynov eventually entered a plea of no contest to a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence. Voynov was taken in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Sept. and, subsequently, deported.
As part of the Kings' response to the Voynov situation, sessions were held during training camp that focused on avoiding such situations. Bartosak attended these sessions, according to Lisa Dillman of the LA Times.
Bartosak, a former fifth-round pick of the Kings, will not face NHL discipline. Per Dillman, the league does not consider Bartosak an NHL player and therefore does not consider itself to have jurisdiction.
Bartosak played two games for the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL this season as part of a rehab assignment, including a game Sunday night. He was to return to the Kings' AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, after completing the assignment.
