NHL Player Safety head Parros explains decision to suspend Gudas 5 games

MANALAPAN, Fla. -- George Parros explained the NHL Department of Player Safety's decision-making process, giving reasons why he thinks it is working well. 

Speaking at the NHL General Managers' meetings on Tuesday, the head of the Department of Player Safety also detailed the reasons for the five-game suspension it gave to Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews on Thursday.

"We have a process in place that we feel confident in," Parros said. "We've been doing it a long time. We sweat over these decisions and pour over these decisions every night all season long. We have a process in place that's consistent and we have a team that works for me and together with me that evaluates all these plays. It's a very experienced team, veteran team, guys that have been here since the beginning of the department, not to mention all the former players that have a large set of experiences in playing NHL games, accolades. 

"Some of the best guys who played the game work for this department and help make these decisions. So, our process, I feel very confident in. We've got great guys who make these decisions and I think the players should be confident in this team to do so."

Gudas was suspended for a knee-on-knee hit on Matthews that occurred at 15:43 of the second period of the Maple Leafs' 6-4 win at Scotiabank Arena.  

The Maple Leafs announced the next day that Matthews sustained a grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion in his left leg and would miss the rest of the season.  

Some Maple Leafs players and coach Craig Berube said they felt a five-game suspension was too light.

Matthews' agent, Judd Moldaver, sharply criticized the Department of Player Safety in a statement released to multiple media outlets. He also questioned why Gudas did not receive an in-person hearing, which would have allowed for a suspension of six games or longer, according to the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Gudas received a phone hearing, which limits the suspension to no more than five games, per the CBA. However, at any point during or following a phone hearing, if the Department of Player Safety determines that information collected has changed its thinking, it can offer an in-person hearing, which would permit a suspension of six games or more.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid told reporters in Edmonton he thinks it's time for the League and players to reevaluate the process the department undertakes to come to decisions on suspensions "because it seems like there's a lot of frustration there."

Parros, though, said he is "confident" in the decision to suspend Gudas for five games and in hindsight would not do anything differently because he followed the process the Department of Player Safety has used since its inception in 2011.

"We came to it for good reason," he said. "When we evaluate these plays we look at the play and not the players. If we determine that play was worthy of supplemental discipline we then look at history of the players involved and if there is an injury or not. This is how we come to make all of our decisions. We did this and made this decision under those circumstances, felt that this was the appropriate response and so I stand by it."

Parros said he is not surprised that Moldaver would come to the defense of his client, but he can't be guided by what is said by impacted parties or on social media.

Parros also said the threat of appeal can't interfere with his decision-making.

A suspension of six games or longer gives the player the opportunity to appeal the suspension to a neutral arbitrator. A suspension of five games or less cannot be appealed.

"Whether or not there's an appeal, I can't really worry about that," Parros said. "I have to make what I think is the right decision, the decision that I can defend and the decision I can sleep with at night."

Parros said he would be open to evaluating the department's decision-making processes, saying "there's no ego in this department." But he stressed it would have to be done as a collaborative effort with the general managers and the NHL Players' Association.

"We are dictated by the CBA to look at these plays in the manner I suggested, past precedent and all these other things that are negotiated with the union," Parros said. "So, like I said, we feel very confident in the process we've been doing for a long time. That doesn't mean that we're not willing to evolve if we need to. We're always looking to improve things if possible. That's what these meetings are for, things like that."

Parros, though, credited the players for their buy-in toward playing the game as safely as possible and stressed his trust in their understanding of the rules and ability to follow them, saying they play the game responsibly and they know where the line is.

"There's no trends right now or anything systematic or systemic in the game right now that leads me to believe that we need to change something that's happening on the ice, that we see on the ice that we're not dealing with," Parros said. "If that time comes then we'll absolutely deal with that head on and involve the parties that need to be involved."