Chris Simon’s unconscionable act of knocking down Pittsburgh’s Jarkko Ruutu and then stomping him with his skate on Saturday will be the last thing Simon does in an Islander uniform for quite a while.
Team owner Charles Wang met with the troubled Simon yesterday and, in a statement, called his actions “reckless and potentially dangerous.”
He added, “The Islanders are going to provide some time for Chris away from the team and give him the counseling he needs and the compassion he deserves. When Chris is completely ready, he will be a member of our team again.”
Simon knocked down Ruutu and then lifted his skate over the fallen player before landing on Ruutu’s foot. Ruutu was not injured.
The NHL is expected to rule as soon as today regarding Simon’s status with the league and length of suspension.
It will be the seventh suspension of Simon’s career, and could be as long or longer than the 25-game ban he was issued last year after hitting the Rangers’ Ryan Hollweg in the head with his stick.
Simon was at practice in Syosset yesterday, but did not participate and addressed the team before releasing a statement of his own.
“I want to start off by making it clear that there is no excuse for my actions on Saturday night and I apologize to everyone involved,” said Simon.
“I acknowledge that time and assistance is needed before I return to the game.”
Simon’s roster spot has been filled by Blake Comeau, a right wing recalled from Bridgeport.
Coach Ted Nolan, who is close to Simon, continued to support the player and said Isles did not consider cutting ties with him.
“[There was] no consideration of that whatsoever,” Nolan said. “I think one of the easiest things people do in life is, when there’s a problem, get rid of the problem.”
Team captain Bill Guerin agreed with the decision not to cut Simon.
“Chris made a mistake and we all know that,” Guerin said of his popular teammate. “He doesn’t owe us an explanation.”
Simon hasn’t said what caused his outburst against Ruutu, a known provocateur.
“It’s a game of emotion and, unfortunately, emotion got the better of him,” Brendan Witt said.
Which is something that has happened too often in Simon’s career. And Nolan admitted that while something needed to change, there are no guarantees that it will.
“I hope we come up with the right solutions to make sure that doesn’t happen again,” Nolan said. “Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.”