From NHL Rule 70.6:
"Any player or goalkeeper who has been ordered to the dressing room by the officials and returns to his bench or to the ice surface for any reason before the appropriate time shall be assessed a game misconduct and shall be suspended automatically without pay for the next ten (10) regular League and/or Play-off games."
It is a rule that Detroit Red Wing defenseman Luke Witkowski was clearly in violation of when he came back onto the ice to fight Matthew Tkachuk after Tkachuk tapped him on his leg.
The suspension will run for ten games and will place him back into the lineup on December 9. The former Ohio Junior Blue Jacket hasn't played often this year and it was only his eighth appearance on the season.
Tkachuk will have a phone hearing with the league for his involvement in the incident.
Calgarys Matthew Tkachuk will have a hearing tomorrow for unsportsmanlike conduct for actions during last nights game against Detroit.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) November 16, 2017
After the big line brawl, no one on the Red Wings had a disparaging remark about the player, in fact, many were supportive of him.
"I can tell you that I hear it from the bench when Witter's in the lineup, they're glad he's in the lineup," Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill said after Wednesday's game against the Flames. "I can just hear the chatter. They know that there's an element of physicality and toughness and he's a good hockey player. Our bench knows when he's in the lineup ... you just know someone's going to be out there sticking up for you."
Old time hockey is not what it used to be but for one night, it made an appearance and Witkowski made his presence felt.
