New York: Slava Voynov, a Russian defenceman with the Stanley Cup champions Los Angeles Kings, was suspended indefinitely by the NHL on Monday after his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence.
The league said its contract with players provides for a suspension of a player facing a criminal investigation where failure to do so “would create a substantial risk of material harm to the legitimate interests and/or reputation of the league.”
Voynov, who will continue to be paid, had appeared in all six games this season for the Kings and has two assists.
The NHL’s swift action in suspending Voynov comes after the NFL was criticised for failing to act quickly and decisively in cases of domestic violence involving marquee players, including now-suspended Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice.
The league gave no details of the circumstances of Voynov’s arrest, but police in the Los Angeles suburb of Redondo Beach said Voynov, who was processed under his full first name of Viatcheslav, was arrested after officers responded to a call about a possible family fight at a residence in the beach community.
Police found no one at the residence in question, but were later contacted by police in nearby Torrance, who were alerted by hospital staff who treated a woman for injuries possibly received during a domestic violence incident.
“Redondo Beach police officers responded to the hospital and met with the victim, determining that a domestic violence incident did occur in Redondo Beach,” Redondo Beach police lieutenant Joe Hoffman said.
The officers then arrested Voynov, who was also at the hospital, Hoffman said. He was freed on bail and is tentatively scheduled to appear in court on December 1.
“These developments are of great concern to our organisation,” the Kings said in a statement.
“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.”
