‘I’ll serve my one game and then move on’: Stafford suspended one game

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This article was published 08/02/2016 (3561 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ST. LOUIS — The Winnipeg Jets may have secured Dustin Byfuglien for the next five years, but they will be without their top goal scorer for one game.

The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Monday that winger Drew Stafford has been suspended for Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues after high-sticking Colorado Avalanche defenceman Nick Holden Saturday in Denver.

Stafford was handed a double-minor penalty for the play, in which he got tangled up with Holden and as he swung around his stick connected with the defenceman’s face. Stafford, who has not been fined or suspended in his 10-year NHL career, will forfeit $23,387.10 with the money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Stafford had a meeting with the NHL on Monday and was informed of the decision during practice later in the day.

“It was somewhat straightforward,” Stafford said of the meeting. “They said what they thought they saw and we said what we thought went on. As far as the decision, I’m not thrilled about it. It’s definitely disappointing and I disagree with what they said but at the same time I have to respect the league’s decision and process.

“I’ll serve my one game and then move on.”

The player safety department issued their ruling with the following explanation:

“While we accept Stafford’s assertion that he did not intentionally strike Holden in the face, he is responsible for the consequences of swinging his stick in such a forceful and reckless fashion.”

The Jets worked with the same line combinations at practice Monday they had in Saturday’s win over Colorado, but will now have to do some adjusting. Stafford had been patrolling the right side on a line with Mark Scheifele and Mathieu Perreault and his touch — he took over the team goal-scoring lead with his 15th and 16th against the Avs — will be missed.

“It changes things,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice. “He’s our leading goal scorer so that’s a big hole to fill. We’ll move some other people up and give other people an opportunity. We’ll have to change what was the hot power-play unit a bit, unfortunately. But we’ll look forward to having him back the next game.”

Interestingly, Maurice informed the team of the Stafford decision on the ice after practice just moments before he broke the news to the troops of the Byfuglien contract extension.

“I can’t be happier for him,” Stafford said of Byfuglien. “We were on the ice and Mo (Maurice) told the boys I had one game and I was like this (hangs head), and then he said Buff got his extension and you perk up and are happy for him and then jumped in on the pile for him.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait