Detroit Red Wings' David Perron suspended 6 games without pay - ESPN

Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron has been suspended six games without pay for delivering a cross-check to the head of Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub on Saturday.

It's the first suspension of the veteran winger's 1,081-game NHL career.

Perron's cross-check to Zub was made in retaliation after Detroit captain Dylan Larkin was left motionless on the ice due to a pair of hits by Senators players. Larkin took an initial hit from Senators forward Mathieu Joseph, with the momentum carrying the Red Wings forward into Ottawa's Parker Kelly.

With Larkin still down, Perron skated towards Zub and raised his stick high on the defenseman.

«The brunt of the impact of this blow is clearly absorbed by Zub's head, due to the actions and choices made by Perron,» said the Department of Player Safety in its suspension ruling, saying it was a play where «significant supplemental discipline is required.»

Perron was given a match penalty at 13:50 of the first period. He was offered an in-person hearing by Player Safety on Monday and opted to hold it over Zoom instead.

Joseph and Kelly each received a roughing minor for the hit on Larkin, who was able to get up and head toward the locker room with some assistance. Larkin was placed on injured reserve on Monday with «no timetable» for his return, according to Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde.

«Unfortunate to lose a player of that caliber for an extended period of time,» said the coach of Larkin, who is tied for the team lead in scoring with 25 points in 24 games.

The NHL ruled that Perron's cross-check wasn't «a hockey play,» but rather an «intentional strike with the stick made with the purpose of exacting retribution on an opponent.» Perron took several strides towards Zub and