What Else Warrants a Six-Game Suspension Under George Parros?

Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports The Boston Bruins will play the first six regular-season games without Charlie McAvoy . The NHL Department of Player Safety (DoPS) handed him a suspension on Tuesday for a slash on Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson on May 1, with 91 seconds left in the Bruins season. McAvoy was taken down by a Benson slewfoot, one that the NHL deemed to be “dangerous,” and then retaliated by taking his stick and swinging at the arm.

McAvoy has now been suspended three times in his NHL career. Since George Parros was named the Senior Vice President of the DoPS in September 2017, there have been 243 suspensions, though not all of them have been for on-ice actions (see: John Chayka , Shane Pinto , or Valeri Nichushkin ). Only 26 of those suspensions have been for six games or longer, and McAvoy is the fifth player to receive exactly six games under George Parros: TOM WILSON The last six-game suspension handed out was to Washington’s Tom Wilson .

In March 2024, Wilson laid a hit on then-Leafs forward Noah Gregor . After the hit, he drew his stick back, swung, and connected with Gregor’s face. The NHL called the play “reckless” and “irresponsible,” citing that Wilson was in control of his stick the whole time.

Wilson has been suspended six times in his career, with this being his most recent. DAVID PERRON In December 2023, David Perron of the Detroit Red Wings was suspended for a cross-check on Senators defenseman Artem Zub . After a play that left Detroit captain Dylan Larkin hurt and on the ice, Perron circled back, charged at, and connected with two hands on the stick, dropping Zub to the ice.