NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday upheld the six-game suspension assessed to Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron.
Perron was suspended Dec. 11, two days after cross-checking Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub in the head during the first period of their game in Detroit. The league viewed the hit as a retaliatory move after the Senators' Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly hit Detroit's Dylan Larkin, leaving the Red Wings' captain unconscious on the ice.
Perron, whose appeal was heard Tuesday, has already served all six games of the suspension. He is eligible to return Friday against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers.
The NHL deemed that Perron's cross-check was an "intentional strike with the stick made with the purpose of exacting retribution on an opponent," rather than "a hockey play." He was given a match penalty for the incident.
Joseph and Kelly were given minor penalties, and Zub ended up staying in the game. As for Larkin, there is no timetable for his return.
Allan Walsh, Perron's agent, called the suspension "a farce" and tried to turn the Department of Player Safety's attention to his client's otherwise clean track record. Perron has played in 1,081 career games and had never faced a suspension before this month.
Perron has the option to appeal again to a neutral arbitrator.
The 35-year-old Perron has 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in 26 games this season, his 17th in the league.
Field Level Media contributed to this report.