Hanzal suspended, won’t play vs Kings

Martin Hanzal has been suspended for two games by the National Hockey League for charging Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jeff Petry in a 5-4 Phoenix win on Saturday and will not take part in Tuesday’s game between the Kings and Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Articulating the league’s position in the video was Brian Leetch of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.

“Having come from a distance with considerable speed, Hanzal launches up and into the head of Petry, making contact with his left forearm and driving Petry’s head into the glass,” Leetch said.

The suspension was the seventh levied against the Coyotes since the Department of Player Safety was formed during the 2011 off-season. No team has been faced with as many individual suspensions as Phoenix, though the Buffalo Sabres will equal that total once the verdict for John Scott’s hit to the head of Boston’s Loui Eriksson is revealed.

Hanzal, who also drew a one-game suspension for boarding Dustin Brown during the 2012 Western Conference Final, is a 6-foot-6 playmaking center who has recorded 11 points (5-6=11) through 12 games thus far.

Here is the number of suspensions by team since the formation of the Department of Player Safety, according to CapGeek.com’s suspension log:

Phoenix – 7
Buffalo – 7/6*
Vancouver – 6
Philadelphia – 6
Chicago – 5
Minnesota – 4
Pittsburgh – 4
Washington – 4
Detroit – 4
Toronto – 4
Boston – 4
Anaheim – 3
San Jose – 3
Calgary – 3
Edmonton – 3
St. Louis – 3
New York Rangers – 3
Colorado – 2
Dallas – 2
New York Islanders – 2
Columbus – 2
Ottawa – 2
Montreal – 2
Los Angeles – 1
Nashville – 1
New Jersey – 1
Carolina – 1
Florida – 1
Tampa Bay – 1
Winnipeg – 0

*Pending John Scott’s hearing

This is not a contrast of styles of play, nor should it be interpreted as “Team X plays a cleaner game than Team Y.” It is strictly a list, and it does not take into account player movement. For instance, Raffi Torres had two of Phoenix’s suspensions, and he currently plays for San Jose. Daniel Carcillo, who was issued two suspensions while with Chicago, now plays for Los Angeles. Fines are not included in the totals.