Saburin Suspension: NHL Hands Down 4-Game Ban

In a display of extreme disciplinary action, the National Hockey League (NHL) has levied meaningful fines against the Tampa Bay Lightning organization and its head coach following a particularly contentious game. The team was fined $100,000 (approximately $85,600 USD), with head coach John Cooper receiving a personal fine of $25,000 (about $21,400 USD).

The severity of the penalties stems from an incident that occurred before the final whistle of a game against the panthers. The Lightning reportedly recalled six players who collectively amassed 77 penalty minutes, with five of them being ejected from the game before its conclusion.

Under NHL regulations, a player like Saburin, who was ejected after a mere 19 seconds of ice time against the Panthers, faces financial repercussions. It’s estimated that Saburin would forfeit approximately $850 for each second he was on the ice during that specific penalty, totaling a significant sum. The exact method of Saburin’s disqualification remains unclear, especially since he was reassigned too the American Hockey league (AHL) after the game. His NHL experience prior to this incident was limited to one game last season with the San Jose Sharks.

The game itself was marred by a flagrant infraction by Saburin against Aaron Ekblad in the third period. This single incident appeared to set a chaotic tone for the remainder of the match,as referees ultimately recorded 65 infractions and assessed a staggering 312 penalty minutes across both teams.

The situation became so dire for the Lightning that, at one point, their bench was sparsely populated, with only three players remaining available. This scarcity of active players led to a peculiar scene, as noted by the team’s head coach.

“I saw something like that for the first time,” the Lightning’s head coach remarked post-game. It seemed to me that at one point, the coaches behind the reserve bench outnumbered the players on it.

Adding to the team’s woes, Latvian forward zemgus Girgenson sustained an injury during the game following a forceful check from Carter Verhegi.

This intense matchup followed another game between the same two teams just two days prior, which also saw a high number of penalties, with 49 infractions and 186 penalty minutes recorded.

As the new NHL season is set to commence, the Lightning are scheduled to play their opening game on Thursday, hosting the Ottawa Senators.