Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman had his suspension cut to 10 games by an independent arbitrator on Friday after previously being suspended 20 games by the NHL. Wideman was hit with the ban after checking linesman Don Henderson in a game in January.
Wideman appealed the decision for the 20-game suspension, and arbitrator James Oldham ruled in his favor. Oldham wrote that Wideman did not appear to intentionally try to injure Henderson, and that the decision by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was "substantially supported" by the evidence. The arbitrator also wrote that the decision looked at the "11 years of discipline-free performance" for Wideman.
"Wideman did not, in my opinion, 'deliberately strike' Henderson," Oldham wrote in the decision. "I do not believe that in his concussed state, Wideman could or should have anticipated that his push would cause Henderson to fall and bang his head against the boards sufficiently hard to put Henderson also in a concussed state."
Wideman has already sat out for 19 of the 20 games he was originally suspended for. The defenseman appealed the decision to the NHL in February and it was upheld by Bettman. Wideman will get back $282,258 in salary for the cut suspension. The defenseman will be eligible to play immediately for the Flames, who next play against the Arizona Coyotes on Friday.
The NHLPA supported the ruling, while the NHL and NHL Officials Association both put out statements disagreeing with the decision. The officials group also announced that Henderson will be out for the remainder of the season while dealing with concussion-related issues. Wideman hit Henderson in a game against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 27.
Wideman had previously been concussed in the game, and Henderson hit his head against the boards after being knocked down by Wideman. The defenseman was diagnosed with a concussion after the game against Nashville, and claimed that played a part in the hit on Henderson. Wideman was previously hit by Nashville winger Miikka Salomaki and was heading towards the bench when he hit Henderson.
"I've been around for a few years, and I think I've treated every official with the utmost respect, and I would never intentionally try to hit a linesman or a ref. It was completely unintentional, and I already apologized to him," Wideman said after the hit.
