NEW YORK (AP) - Chris Simon of the New York Islanders was suspended Sunday for an NHL-record 25 games, meaning he will miss the rest of the regular season and playoffs as punishment for his two-handed stick attack to the face of Ryan Hollweg.

Simon will miss New York's final 15 regular-season contests and the entire postseason, if the Islanders reach the playoffs. If the Islanders play fewer than 10 playoff games this year, the suspension will carry over to next season.

The ban is the longest in terms of games missed in NHL history. Marty McSorley was suspended 23 games in February 2000 for knocking out Donald Brashear with a stick-swinging hit. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stretched that punishment to one year, and McSorley never played in the league again.

"The National Hockey League will not accept the use of a stick in the manner and fashion in which Mr. Simon used his Thursday night," league disciplinarian Colin Campbell said in a statement. "As a consequence of his actions, Mr. Simon has forfeited the privilege of playing in an NHL game again this season, regardless of how many games the Islanders ultimately play."

The Islanders began the day seventh in the Eastern Conference, three points above the playoff cutoff.

Tampa Bay's Gordie Dwyer also received a 23-game suspension in September 2000 for abusing officials and coming out of the penalty box to fight in an exhibition game against Washington.

Campbell announced the punishment one day after holding a hearing at the league office in New York. Simon was banned indefinitely Friday, following his vicious hit in retaliation for a hard check by the New York Rangers' Hollweg on Thursday night.

Based on the one-year, $1 million contract Simon signed with the Islanders before this season, he will lose at least $80,200.

This is Simon's sixth NHL suspension and the league's longest since Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi was sidelined 13 regular-season games and seven in the playoffs for his blindside punch to the head of Colorado's Steve Moore in March 2004.

"There is absolutely no place in hockey for what I did," Simon said in a statement released by the team during Saturday night's 5-2 victory over Washington. "What you saw Thursday is not the person, player and competitor that I am. I know my teammates and opponents over my 14 years in the NHL understand that."

ouch, that's gonna hurt the islanders in the play offs a bit.

This was an highly unfortunate event for the Islanders and Simon. Simons actions were horrible and unforgivable. I think 25 games is the right penelty for Simon. It is very, very fortunate that Hollweg didnt sustain many injuries.

I noticed Simon apoligized for his actions, which I respect him doing. He, himself said he was disgusted at what he did after he watched the replay.

I think this was a good amount for his suspension, and next year, when he returns lets hope another incident like this doesnt break out.

Isles picking up the pieces
NEW YORK (AP)
Two weeks ago, the Islanders were in the news for all the right reasons when Garth Snow stunned the hockey world – including millions in Edmonton – when he acquired Ryan Smyth in a flurry of trade activity before the NHL’s Feb. 27 deadline.

This week the Isles are in the news for all the wrong reasons, trying to cope with the loss of Chris Simon, who has been suspended for 25 games, including the remainder of the 2006-07 regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Simon’s retaliatory two-handed stick swing at the head of Rangers' forward Ryan Hollweg has been the lightning rod of conversation throughout the NHL. Some believe his 25-game suspension, the longest in League history, was not enough. Others believe it was appropriate and wonder if Simon, who is 35 and in the final year of his contract, will be signed by anyone as a free agent this summer, considering this is his sixth suspension.

One thing everyone can agree upon is the fact Simon made a grave mistake and that flagrant stick infractions have no place in the game at any level.

“There's no place for that in hockey," said Hollweg, who precipitated the incident by checking Simon face-first into the boards. “I don't care who you are"

Hollweg said he felt lucky he was not seriously injured -- he required only a couple stitches to the chin and joked; “I’m just glad I have a hard head.”

Hollweg was back in the Rangers lineup two days after the incident and played both weekend games for the Rangers. Simon, whose other suspensions were for kneeing, cross-checking (twice), elbowing, and allegedly making racial remarks, said he was suffering from a concussion caused by Hollweg’s hit and apologized for his actions in a statement.

"I want to apologize to my team and Islanders fans everywhere," Simon said in a statement released Saturday night. "My actions Thursday night played a major part in our team losing a crucial game. I also want to apologize to the National Hockey League for the damage I have caused this great game of ours.

“What you saw Thursday is not the person, player and competitor that I am. I know my teammates and opponents over my 14 years in the NHL understand that. I do not remember much about Thursday's incident. When I saw the tape on Friday morning, it explained a lot to me when I saw the look on my face after being hit into the boards. I was completely out of it."

Despite the horrible incident, Simon has been characterized by many around the NHL as a good person who had a temporary lapse in judgment.

“He’s a great teammate,” said Flyers assistant coach Craig Berube, who played alongside Simon in Washington. “Sometimes guys go too far on the ice and he deserved to be punished.”

Rangers coach Tom Renney said it is not his place to judge on the suspension and expressed concern for both Hollweg and Simon.

“The two things for me that are most important are that Ryan is OK and able to play, and Chris, for me anyway, is a good man. He's had to pay the price, and that's appropriate. I think it needs to be a message that's loud and clear, of course. We all have to move forward and learn what we can from it."

Capitals forward Donald Brashear, who was the victim of a stick to the head by Bruins enforcer Marty McSorley in 2000 – an incident that resulted in a 23-game suspension for McSorley that ended his playing career – said every NHL enforcer needs to learn from last week’s ugly incident.

"I know what type of guy Chris is, and he's an honest guy,” Brashear said. “I saw the hit he took, and he lost control a little bit too much, and that's what it's all about. That's where it gets dangerous. A guy loses control, and you don't know what's going to happen. We try to stay away from those, and I'm sure after it happened, he looked at himself and said, 'What the hell am I doing?' It looked like he meant to do something else. Sometimes, guys have to pay the price, and I guess he's going to be one of them."

The Islanders are hoping the deadline additions of Smyth and Richard Zednik will help offset the loss of Simon, a rugged 6-foot-3, 232-pound left wing who had played in all 67 games this season. Simon averaged just under 11 minutes a game for the Isles and had solid numbers in a checking role: 10 goals, 17 assists, 75 penalty minutes and an impressive3 plus-17.

“It’s obviously a tough situation,” said Islanders' leading scorer Jason Blake, who entered this week with a career-high 35 goals. “Chris is a great teammate. What happened, happened. It's over. … We're behind him.”

The Islanders are determined to forge ahead in their quest to become a real threat in the playoffs. The Isles enter this week having lost just three times in regulation in their last 22 games (13-3-6) and were knocking on the door of the fifth-place and equally dangerous Penguins.

“Everybody talks about the eighth spot, but the fourth spot is not too far ahead, either,” Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. “Can we get higher? I think we can.”

The Isles will be counting on veteran Ryan Smyth to provide the leadership
to help get them into the playoffs.

With Rick DiPietro in a zone, anything seems possible for the Islanders. His win over the Capitals Saturday was his 30th of the season. He has started 17 in a row and seems to have found his groove at just the right time.

Smyth’s emotional farewell to Edmonton might have affected his early play with the Islanders. He began his New York career with just one goal and one assist in his first five games, but picked up a pair of assists in Saturday’s win over Washington.
Zednik, who was acquired at the deadline from the Capitals, is still looking for his first goal as an Islander. If Smyth and Zednik can get untracked offensively, the Isles could be a dangerous first-round opponent for anyone.

"Nobody can do it but who's in this locker room," Smyth said of the Islanders' playoff chances. "We need to play with confidence and conviction."

The Isles are hoping Smyth, who has 14 power-play goals, can bolster a power play that entered the weekend 10th in the NHL.

"It's obviously his presence at the net," center Mike Sillinger said of Smyth’s greatest impact on the man-advantage. "And every time the puck goes in the corner, he always comes up with the puck. He's really strong with the puck.”

Instead of 25 game suspension they (Rangers) shoul beat the hell out of him-that would be rightfull punishment!

Superstarsfan, please edit your posts by adding the sources of the articles.

GSA