Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has decided to appeal his five-game suspension, initiating the process with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Rielly received the suspension on Tuesday for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig in the final moments of Saturday’s game. The appeal comes after Rielly missed the first game of the suspension as the Maple Leafs secured a victory against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.
The NHL’s player safety department announced the suspension on Tuesday after a virtual meeting with Rielly. Despite being offered an in-person hearing, Rielly couldn’t attend in New York due to inclement weather. This suspension is a first in Rielly’s 11-season NHL career. Fans were mixed on the length, with most Maple Leafs fans obviously on the side that the punishment was too severe.
The 29-year-old defenseman was ejected from Saturday’s game against the Senators after responding to Greig’s uncontested slapshot into an empty net with a cross-check, inciting a scrum on the ice. Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe defended Rielly’s reaction, stating that players have the right to respond. Others have argued Rielly didn’t intend to hit Greig in the head.
Rielly Hoping to Have the Suspension Reduced… Could It Backfire?
Rielly, a crucial part of the Maple Leafs’ defense, leads the team’s defensemen with seven goals and 43 points in 50 games this season. He also tops the team in average ice time, with an average of 24:21 per game. The appeal process will now unfold as Rielly seeks to reduce or overturn the suspension, allowing him to rejoin the Maple Leafs on the ice sooner than the currently scheduled five-game absence.
While unlikely, this does also open the door to Bettman making the suspension longer. Typically, the league sides with the NHL DoPS and doesn’t change a ruling.
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