The National Hockey League has filed action against the NHL Players Association in U.S. District Court, seeking to vacate an arbitrator's ruling that reduced the suspension of Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman from 20 games to 10 earlier this year.
Wideman was suspended 20 games by the league after he used his stick to strike linesman Don Henderson from behind and knock him to the ice during a Jan. 27 game against the Nashville Predators.
On Feb. 17, commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the suspension by the league's disciplinary office after Wideman appealed. Wideman and the NHLPA then appealed to a Neutral Discipline Arbitrator, as allowed by the collective bargaining agreement.
Arbitrator James Oldham ruled on March 10 that the suspension be reduced to 10 games. But the NHL is arguing that the arbitrator exceeded his authority, pursuant to the CBA.
In the filing made Wednesday in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, the NHL argues that the arbitrator substituted "his own version of what occurred on the ice for that of the commissioner."
"We are disappointed that the NHL has chosen to challenge the award of the Neutral Discipline Arbitrator (NDA) in court, as the collective bargaining agreement clearly provides that the decision of the NDA is final," NHLPA spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon said. "We are confident this action is completely without merit and that the court will agree."
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement, "Today's action was motivated primarily by our regard for the collective bargaining process and the importance of maintaining and safeguarding the parties' reasonable expectations arising from the agreements made in that process."
Wideman has already served the suspension.
