NEW YORK (AP) — Anaheim forward Jean-Francois Jacques will miss the rest of the preseason and the Ducks’ first five regular-season games after being suspended by the NHL for leaving the bench on a legal line change to start a fight with Vancouver’s Mike Duco.
Brendan Shanahan, the league’s new senior vice president of player safety, handed down the punishment on Tuesday. It has been quite an active exhibition season for Shanahan, who has already issued six suspensions in his new role.
Each ban, except for a two-game suspension of Buffalo’s Brad Boyes, has been for the remainder of the preseason schedule and carries into the regular season. Jacques is the first to be suspended for something other than a hit to the head or a check from behind.
