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Dwyer: 23-game suspension

NHL hands out record-tying penalty to Lightning left wing.

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 29, 2000

Gordie Dwyer will miss nearly a quarter of the NHL season because of his actions on one night.

The NHL announced Thursday it has suspended the Lightning left wing a record-tying 23 games after a prolonged tirade in which he left the penalty box, bumped one official and pulled another to the ice during a preseason game Sept. 19.

"It shouldn't be a surprise. It shouldn't come as a shock," said Jay Feaster, Tampa Bay assistant general manager. "All you have to do is buy an NHL rule book, look up rules that were violated and do the math."

Dwyer, who sat out the Lightning's last two preseason games, will miss the first 21 regular-season games and return against the Islanders on Nov. 27.

The $39,510.66 he would have received in salary will be donated to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

"We fully support and endorse the NHL in terms of its position on discipline," Feaster said. "It's obviously a lot of games, but at the same time there were lines crossed that cannot be crossed."

The penalty equals the league's harshest non-drug-related suspension.

Marty McSorley was suspended the final 23 games of the 1999-2000 season after he slashed Vancouver defenseman Donald Brashear in the head Feb. 21. McSorley, then with the Bruins, later was charged with assault with a weapon and is on trial this week in Vancouver.

Before Dwyer's and McSorley's punishments, Dale Hunter held the record for a suspension. The league suspended him 21 games and docked him about one-fourth of his total salary ($150,000) for hitting Pierre Turgeon from behind in a 1993 playoff game.

Dwyer's penalty stems from an on-ice incident at 5:30 of the third period of the Lightning's 4-4 tie against Washington when he and Joe Reekie got into a scuffle.

The 6-3, 216-pound Dwyer, 22, was taken to the penalty box but left to go after Reekie again after the two continued to jaw. In the process, he bumped linesman David Brisebois and pulled referee Mark Faucette to the ice.

Dwyer received minor charging and roughing penalties, a 10-minute misconduct and three game misconducts.

Each game misconduct carries with it an automatic suspension -- 10 games for leaving the penalty box, 10 games for physically abusing an official and another three games for abuse of an official.

"It's certainly something Gordie regrets he did," Feaster said. "If Gordie had that time back to undo it and do it differently, I'm certain he would do it differently.

"He understood from the beginning, because of the lines he crossed, the fine was going to be severe."

Dwyer will remain with the team but not count against the Lightning's 23-man roster until he returns.

Feaster said Lightning officials had been impressed with the Dalhousie, New Brunswick, native. Last season, he had 135 penalty minutes and one assist in 24 games with Tampa Bay.

"Certainly with the training camp he had had, we believe Gordie did a good job," Feaster said. "I think he would've made the 23-man roster regardless.

"We expect him to work hard and be ready to play once the suspension is over."

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