NEW YORK –
Calgary Flames forward
Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond has been suspended for the remainder of the preseason and one regular-season game and will forfeit $6,402.44 in salary for a hit from behind to
Vancouver Canucks forward
Matt Clackson during a preseason game on September 20, National Hockey League Senior Vice President of Player Safety
Brendan Shanahan announced today.
Letourneau-Leblond, who was suspended for one game on October 9, 2010, is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, he forfeits his salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (185). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
The incident occurred at 14:47 of the third period. Letourneau-Leblond was assessed a minor penalty for boarding.
“Letourneau-Leblond took a direct route toward Clackson, hit him squarely from behind into the boards and drove through the check high and hard,” Shanahan said.“Clackson’s back was turned toward Letourneau-Leblond well before the contact, requiring that Letourneau-Leblond avoid or minimize the check. He did neither.”
Letourneau-Leblond will miss preseason games on Sept. 24 at Edmonton, Sept. 25 vs. Edmonton, Sept. 27 vs. the
New York Islanders and Sept. 29 vs. Phoenix. He also will miss the Oct. 8 regular-season game vs. Pittsburgh. He is eligible to return Oct. 10 at St. Louis.