Tom Sestito suspended four games for hit on Andre Deveaux

by Travis Hughes on Sep 28, 2011 4:37 PM EDT in Philadelphia Flyers News

It's Tom Sestito's birthday today. He cleared waivers earlier this afternoon, a move that will allow the Philadelphia Flyers to send him down to the Adirondack Phantoms. He also was slapped with a four-game suspension from the NHL today. Happy 24th, bud!

In reality, Sestito should probably feel lucky. He was only suspended four games for the hit, one that was much worse than the hit that earned Jody Shelley a 10 game ban last week. The fact that Shelley is considered a repeat offender and Sestito is not certainly played into each decision, but the fact still remains: Tommy got off easy here.

The AHL will review the suspension and they have the right to ban Sestito for those two regular season games as well, honoring the NHL's suspension. It's at their discretion. Either way, Sestito will have to serve his suspension at the NHL level.

It would make sense for the Flyers to wait until the end of the preseason before actually sending Sestito to Adirondack, therefore allowing the first two games to tick off the clock now during the preseason when there are no roster limits. He's already cleared waivers, so the Flyers have 30 days to keep him in Philly before they have to send him down. If they were to wait 31 days, he'd have to clear waivers again -- but that's not really a concern. He'll be sent down before the regular season begins.

Ahem, update: He was sent down TODAY, according to Frank Seravalli of the Daily News. We're not sure if he'll have to serve two games when he returns or if he'll have to serve the four, even though two were intended to be preseason games. Preseason games technically like... don't count as anything, so it's a little unclear. We'll update if we get some clarification. Update two: It's only a two game ban when he returns. Makes sense.

While he's in Adirondack, the NHL suspension doesn't count, so if and when Sestito is called back up to the Flyers, he'll have to sit for the two regular season games before playing. Two games where he's on the game roster. He does not require re-entry waivers to return to the NHL.

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I was expecting at least five games, possibly more. He got off way too easy.

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by jello44 on Sep 28, 2011 4:52 PM EDT reply actions

Seems light now, but this will follow him and if another incident like this occurs, he’ll already have “repeat offender” status.

by Gunslinger82 on Sep 28, 2011 4:57 PM EDT reply actions

if another incident like this occurs, he’ll already have "repeat offender" status

For what it’s worth, in the current CBA, people are only considered repeat offenders if they have an incident in the previous 18 months. So like an accident on your driving record, it doesn’t stay with you forever.

Of course, there’s a new CBA coming soon and the rules could change. But that’s how it is now.

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by Eric T. on Sep 28, 2011 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

This "Puck Daddy" Interview touches on that

Here

But this is the money quote:

The CBA puts a statute of limitations on suspensions remaining on a player’s record; for a guy like Jody Shelley, are you taking into account his entire history or what’s on his record?

BS: After 18 months, a player’s repeat-offender category, which is used for calculation of a fine, resets. But as far as a player’s historical incidents, they all still can come into the judgment and they always have.

I see a distinction between a repeat offender and someone who has a history of violent infractions. For instance, when a player’s in that 18-month category, instead of being susceptible for the loss of 1/185th of his pay, it sets down to 1/82nd of his pay. After 18 months of no incidents, it resets.

This is a little vague to me…I’m guessing that a “fine” is different than what is lost in a “suspension” though.

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by Keith Quinn on Sep 28, 2011 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh yeah, thanks for the correction. You’re right.

What it means is that three years from now, they might decide Sestito deserves 10 games for a similar hit because he’s a repeat offender. But for those 10 games, he’ll lose 10/185 of his salary instead of 10/82 because the CBA won’t consider him a repeat offender (assuming the new CBA has the same rules).

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Writer at Broad Street Hockey

by Eric T. on Sep 28, 2011 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Suspension with decent pay

I wish someone would suspend me for 10 days at 10/185 of my pay. It’s a weird rule if you ask me..I’ll bet they try to make that a little more harsh in the next CBA. Thanks for clarifying the money aspect.

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by Keith Quinn on Sep 28, 2011 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, it’s a little under half his pay.

Normally over 10 games, he’d get 10/82 of his yearly salary. A first-time offender will forfeit 10/185 of that; a repeat offender forfeits all of it.

@BSH_EricT
Writer at Broad Street Hockey

by Eric T. on Sep 28, 2011 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions

A first-time offender will forfeit 10/185 of that

Should say “a first time offender will forfeit 10/185 of his yearly salary”. Which is 82/185 of what he would have made over those ten games.

@BSH_EricT
Writer at Broad Street Hockey

by Eric T. on Sep 29, 2011 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Hold the mic out to me...

…Just like a vanishing deductible…“like a good neighbor, Shanahan’s is there”

Thanks Eric

by Gunslinger82 on Sep 28, 2011 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions

With the Flyers’ cap situation being what it is, I assume there is no chance of him getting back up, unless the Flyers somehow end up barely utilizing Lappy’s LTIR exemption and have the spare room (in the exemption) to have him come back up and sit around.

by hebrew hammer on Sep 28, 2011 4:57 PM EDT reply actions

A lot can happen over the course of the year, though. Hard to deal in absolutes and stuff.

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by Travis Hughes on Sep 28, 2011 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Very true, but this still has to put him behind Rinaldo for the time being.

by hebrew hammer on Sep 28, 2011 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Definitely.

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by Travis Hughes on Sep 28, 2011 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

They don’t have room to squeeze him in as a 14th forward on a 23-man roster. But they can easily send down a 13th man (e.g. Rinaldo or Read) to let Sestito sit in the press box for two games to finish out his suspension, so that he’s available if they need him as an injury replacement later.

@BSH_EricT
Writer at Broad Street Hockey

by Eric T. on Sep 28, 2011 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I wonder if shannahan will keep up these videos all year. They really are pretty great.

by DrunkHockeyFan on Sep 28, 2011 6:20 PM EDT reply actions

Not really sure his suspension matters. Unless he has a great season in the AHL I think we might never see Sestito in a Flyer jersey.

by Mattx on Sep 28, 2011 8:18 PM EDT reply actions

Pierre McGuire with the cliche hat trick…

“Character, heart and grit….”

Talking about the Hawks’ off-season acquisitions

by flyersfaninchicago on Sep 28, 2011 9:15 PM EDT reply actions

Estimated Shanaban Formula:

Boarding: 2-3 games (depending on injury)
Illegal check to the head: 5 games
Repeat Offender status: +3 games
So far it seems to match the current suspensions. I’m guessing we can narrow it down further as more suspensions come out.
Examples:
Shelley – Boarding + Repeat Offender: 5 games
Staubitz – Boarding: 3 games
Wisniewski – Illegal hit to head + Repeat Offender: 8 games
Sestito – Boarding: 2 games
I’m not sure how the Jacques suspension fits into here yet. 5 games for a first time offender leaving the bench to start a fight is the equivalent of an illegal hit to the head or a repeat offender boarding. Seems a bit much.
Also, I’m not factoring in Pre-Season games. I don’t think he will suspend a player for “5 games” if the next 4 games are pre-season games. Everyone will cry “too light!”. He can’t let them play out the pre-season and then serve their ban. My guess is: commit a suspendable infraction in the pre-season and you can expect to sit the rest of pre-season going forward. Any infractions will be Length of Ban + remainder of pre-season.