Rage In The Key of LA

So let me trace this summer for the LA Kings, let me know where I go wrong with my anger.  

Jarret Stoll was arrested for cocaine and MDMA possession at a Las Vegas pool party in mid-April, and conveniently chased out of town once free agency opened up.  

Mike Richards was arrested at the Canadian border with oxycodone pills and managed to keep the arrest under wraps until June 26th when the Kings found out at the NHL Draft.  By June 29th the man’s contract was terminated.  

On July 2nd, Slava Voynov was found guilty of domestic assault from an incident the previous October.  The man served 60 of his 90 days before meeting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to begin an investigation.  

In the NHL rule books, there’s nothing against metaphorically shutting out a teammate.  In the NHL rule books, there’s not wrong with terminating a contract without due process.  In the NHL rule book, a team cannot terminate a contract while a player is suspended by the NHL.  But the NHL’s suspension for the length of the regular season.  The Kings’s regular season ended April 9th and at no point since then did the Kings make a move to terminate his contract.  

Two men who wanted to illegally enhance their state of mind? Baaaaaaaad.  A man who beat a woman to a bloody pulp?  Let’s cross our fingers and *hope* it’s not true.  Let’s *hope* the NHL won’t notice us sneaking him into sanctioned practices.  

Everyone is shaking their fingers at the Chicago Blackhawks for allowing Patrick Kane for showing up to training camp and rightfully so.  But the precedent was set by the poor handling of Slava Voynov that continues to this day.  The Kings were fined $100,000 for practice stunt, but the suspension meant Voynov didn’t count against the cap hit. Voynov wasn’t dinged for the $100,000.  Neither was team captain Dustin Brown or head coach Darryl Sutter.  The organization as a whole was fined $100,000.  No one person was held responsible for the circus of Slava Voynov this year; not even Voynov.  

60 days in jail.  

No contract termination.  

And now no need for termination as Voynov is willing to go home.  

Addicts need to be helped, they need to be given an opportunity for clean living.  The actions and level of protection taken by the LA Kings makes me think Slava Voynov has an addiction to domestic abuse.  

If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic abuse or need addiction assistance there are resources. Please contact them:

The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-877-799-SAFE
For Canada 1-800-363-9010

Substance Abuse Treatment Hotline 1-800-662-HELP
For Canada 1-800-565-8603