Kings' defenseman could face 10-game suspension after controversial incident in Vegas
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Joel Edmundson could be in serious trouble after leaving the Kings bench in Vegas, and a possible 10-game suspension is now on the table.
Things got ugly in Vegas on Saturday night, and now the Los Angeles Kings have a real problem on their hands.
Brandt Clarke was tangled up with a group of Golden Knights players near the boards when Joel Edmundson came off the bench to jump in and defend his young partner.
The two have been paired together on the Kings blue line to start the season, so the loyalty makes sense.
The league may not care about that part.
Why this could cost him big
Under Rule 70.10, a player who leaves the bench during an altercation, or to start one, faces an automatic 10-game suspension if the league decides that is what happened.
Nothing has been announced yet, and the NHL still has to sort out exactly how Edmundson got onto the ice.
Hockey fans were quick to point out the rule, and it is a big one.
Ten games is a huge chunk of the schedule for a veteran defenseman who plays top-four minutes.
A rough start for Los Angeles
The timing could not be worse for a team that is already struggling.
The Kings lost 2-1 in overtime on a Vegas power-play goal, which dropped them to 0-2-2 under new head coach Peter Laviolette.
That is not the start anyone in Los Angeles was hoping for.
Edmundson is 33 and has been a steady piece of this blue line, so losing him for any real stretch would hurt.
Depth options like Erik Gustafsson would have to step in.
Edmundson was clearly trying to have his partner's back, but intent may not matter once the league reviews the video.
Now it is a waiting game, and the Kings will want answers fast.
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