Sharks forward Raffi Torres suspeded 41 games for hit
San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres has been suspended 41 games by the NHL for an illegal check to the head and interference, the league announced Monday.
Torres received a match penalty in the first period of the Sharks’ 5–1 preseason loss Saturday after making contact with the head of Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg on a hit.
Torres was actually penalized for three different infractions on the play: illegal check to the head, interference and charging.
The Department of Player Safety announced that Torres waived his right to an in-person hearing, which means his suspension can extend longer than five games.
The 33-year-old missed all of the 2014–15 season and most of the 2013–14 season with separate knee injuries.
Torres has been suspended four times in his career, including a 25-game suspension for an illegal check to the head on Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa in the 2012 postseason. That hit forced Hossa to leave the ice on a stretcher.