NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has reduced the suspension of Ryan Hartman from 10 to 8 games, which is significant as this is the first reduction he has made since December 2021. Hartman faced discipline for violently slamming the head of Ottawa Senators' Tim Stützle into the ice during a match. The appeal was made by the NHL Players' Association, which sought a lesser punishment for Hartman, who has a history of previous suspensions and fines in his career. Bettman deemed the eight-game suspension appropriate given Hartman's record.
"Although I conclude that an escalation from Mr. Hartman's prior three (3) game suspension to ten (10) games is not proportional here, I find that an eight (8) game suspension is both appropriate and supported by clear and convincing evidence."
"The NHLPA appealed the suspension on behalf of Hartman, who has already served four games of the ban that was handed down on Feb. 3 for 'using his forearm to violently slam the head of Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stützle into the ice.'"
"Hartman locked up Stützle's stick with his leg, placed his right forearm on the back of Stützle's neck and drove the Ottawa player's head into the ice. Stützle's helmet came off on impact, and he skated to the Senators' bench with a cut bleeding over his left eye that required five stitches."
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