New York: Detroit Red Wings right wing Gustav Nyquist was suspended for six games by the National Hockey League on Wednesday for a high-sticking incident in a game Sunday at Minnesota.
The 27-year-old Swede, who has helped Detroit reach the Stanley Cup play-offs for the past five seasons, will forfeit $158,333 (Dh581,538) in salary after spearing Wild defenceman Jared Spurgeon in the face with his stick.
Nyquist will not be eligible to return until the Red Wings play the Edmonton Oilers on March 4.
Nyquist, who has scored seven goals and has assisted on 22 others for Detroit this season, was struck in the back by Spurgeon in the first period of a 6-3 loss to the Wild, then retaliated by lifting his stick into the defenceman’s face, opening up a gash in his left cheek.
The league said in imposing the ban that Nyquist was not careless or reckless but said his “actions could have resulted in a severe or even career-ending injury.”
Nyquist was assessed a four-minute double-minor for the infraction.
With four consecutive losses and only 22 wins for 54 points in 56 games, the Red Wings rank last in the Eastern Conference.
