Los Angeles Kings forward Brendan Lemieux was handed a five-game suspension Tuesday for biting Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk on the hand during a fight Saturday.
After Tkachuck showed officials the bite and blood on his hand, Lemieux received a match penalty and was ejected. The NHL offered him an in-person hearing with the Department of Player Safety, which signals a suspension longer than five games is being considered.
“While on the ice, Lemieux, feeling Tkachuk’s hands on his face as they wrestle, bites Tkachuk on his bare left hand and does so with a substantial amount of force,” a Department of Player Safety official said in a video explanation.
The official said Lemieux argued that Tkachuk’s wound could have occurred by punching Lemieux in the tooth with sufficient force to puncture the skin.
“The video evidence does not support this version of events,” the official said.
Lemieux had a prior history of discipline that the department took under consideration. He previously was suspended for two games in November 2018 for an illegal check to the head of then-Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck. In July 2020, Lemieux was suspended for two games for an illegal check that injured Colorado Avalanche forward Joonas Donskoi.
Tkachuk called Lemieux out after the game for his behavior.
“It’s outrageous,” Tkachuk said, per the Ottawa Sun. “Kids don’t even do that (bite) anymore. Babies do that. I don’t even know what he was thinking. He’s just a complete brick head. He’s got nothing up there. Bad guy, bad player, but what a joke he is.”
The Kings were scheduled to play the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night. Lemieux will be sidelined until a Dec. 11 contest against the Minnesota Wild.
–Field Level Media
