NHL suspends Brendan Lemieux 5 games for biting Brady Tkachuk
Anthony Scultore
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The NHL announced on Tuesday that Los Angeles Kings forward Brendan Lemieux has received a five-game suspension for biting Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
Lemieux and Tkachuk were in a scrum at the 13:51 mark of the third period when the incident occurred.
The bite will cost Lemieux $38,750 under the terms of the CBA based on his average annual salary.
Lemieux, 25, has four goals and one assist in 14 games this season. He has 52 points (27 goals, 25 assists) and 345 penalty minutes in 194 games with the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers and Kings.
NHL suspends Lemieux
“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 livid with Lemieux
“It’s outrageous,” Tkachuk said after the game, per the Ottawa Sun. “Kids don’t even do that 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.”
Lemieux’s teammate, goalie Jonathan Quick didn’t like what Tkachuk said and had his own words for the Sens’ star.
“I have my own opinion about what happened, or did not happen last night, and what I can tell you is that any comments that were made about Pep were garbage,” Quick said via LA Kings Insider. “He’s a valuable player who sticks up for his teammates. We all support him and I’d rather have him on my team over that kid any day of the week.”
