NHL suspends Kings D Slava Voynov after domestic violence arrest
The NHL has suspended defenseman Slava Voynov indefinitely after he was arrested on domestic violence charges Monday morning, the league announced Monday.
There are currently no details on the exact nature of Voynov's arrest other than that he violated California Penal Code section 273.5, Domestic Violence. He will continue to be paid while suspended.
Redondo Beach, Calif., authorities told the Orange County Register's Rich Hammond that Voynov was released on a $50,000 bond around 11 a.m. ET Monday. Voynov's lawyer, Craig Renetzky, said his next court date is Dec. 1.
Renetzky also said no charges have yet been filed against Voynov, though the arrest was of a felony nature.
The suspension was imposed under Section 18-A.5 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which provides that, during the pendency of a criminal investigation, “The League may suspend the Player pending the League’s formal review and disposition of the matter where the failure to suspend the Player during this period would create a substantial risk of material harm to the legitimate interests and/or reputation of the League.”
Voynov, 24, has been with the Kings since 2011-12 and played in all 82 games for the team last season while helping it win the Stanley Cup. He's played in all of the Kings' six games this season, recording two assists and averaging 23:11 of ice time per game.
Voynov signed a six-year, $25 million contract extension with Los Angeles before last season.
The Kings released the following statement about Voynov's suspension later Monday:
These developments are of great concern to our organization. We support the NHL’s decision to suspend Slava Voynov indefinitely during this process, and we will continue to take appropriate action as the legal proceedings and the investigation by the NHL take their course.
The NHL dealt with a similar incident last year when Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov was arrested on domestic violence charges in an incident involving his girlfriend. The charges were later dropped.
The news of Voynov's arrest comes amidst significant controversy around the issue of domestic violence in the NFL stemming from the arrest of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice.
The release of video showing Rice striking his then-fiancée in an Atlantic City casino elevator led to Rice's release from Ravens and an indefinite suspension from the NFL, with criticism levied at the latter for initially suspending Rice for just two games.
The NFL has said it is working on developing a new domestic violence policy and the handling of the Rice case by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is the subject of an investigation led by former FBI director Robert Mueller III.
The issue of domestic violence has emerged in other sports as well, including the arrestsof U.S. national team goalie Hope Solo and Charlotte Hornets forward Jeffery Taylor.
- Ben Estes