The NHL has suspended the Stars' Corey Perry for five games due to an elbow he delivered to the Predators' Ryan Ellis during the teams' Winter Classic game Wednesday in Dallas.
Perry met with the NHL's player safety board Friday. In the first period of Wednesday's game, Ellis kept the puck in the attacking zone at the blue line and attempted a shot on the Dallas goal. Perry skated in front of him and stuck his elbow up, making contact with Ellis' head.
Perry will forfeit $40,322.60 as a result of the ban. It will go to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.
"While we acknowledge Perry's argument that he did not intend to elbow Ellis in the head, he is in control of this hit at all times and solely responsible for the end result," the Department of Player Safety explained in a video on the suspension. "Perry acknowledges that he initially takes an angle of approach to make a play on the puck, causing him to cut in front of [Ellis's] body. Now unable to make any meaningful body contact, Perry follows through with his elbow, driving it into Ellis' head with substantial force."
Perry has been suspended twice previously in his career. One of the games he'll miss during his suspension is his scheduled return to face his former team, the Anaheim Ducks, on Jan. 9.
Ellis immediately fell flat on the ice, chest down, and remained down for over a minute as Perry was escorted to the penalty box. Once there, the officials conferred and decided that Perry would be given a five-minute major for elbowing, which carries with it a game misconduct. Perry became the first player ever to be ejected from a Winter Classic game.
Ellis did not return to the game, a 4-2 Stars win.
Afterward, Perry called it an "awkward play" with unintentional results. "I've played with Ryan before. I know him personally. It's very unintentional. I didn't mean to hurt him. I hope he's OK," Perry said.
Information from ESPN's Greg Wyshynski was used in this report.