Raffi Torres: NHL Won't Reach Verdict on Coyotes Star's Punishment Yet

Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres met with NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan on Friday to discuss his brutal hit on Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa, but the announcement of any suspension for Torres won't be revealed until Saturday, RDS reports.

"

No decision will be announce today by the NHL on Raffi Torres.

— Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) April 20, 2012"

Since this is such a huge decision, Shanahan and the department of player safety don't want to come to a conclusion too quickly.

They have to make the correct call here because the league has taken a lot of criticism for its handling of player discipline thus far in the playoffs.

Torres is a repeat offender, so there is certainly a lot of material for Shanahan to go over. He's been fined and suspended prior to this incident, so the suspension could be a lengthy one.

Since the meeting between Shanahan and Torres was in person at the league's New York offices, the suspension won't be less than five games.

Many fans and even some members of the media think Torres should be suspended for the rest of the playoffs after his menacing hit on Hossa, especially since he has a long history of dirty hits and hasn't learned his lesson. CBC's Don Cherry thinks Torres will get a 10-game suspension.

Torres was suspended indefinitely by the league on Wednesday, and since then his Coyotes have taken a 3-1 series lead on the Blackhawks.

Hossa's Blackhawks teammate Jonathan Toews, who missed 22 games this season with a concussion, responded to the Torres situation on Wednesday, telling Fox Sports:

"

“There’s no remorse with a guy like that,” Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said Wednesday of Torres’ hit. “That’s not hockey to me.”

"

Torres could receive one of the largest suspensions in NHL playoff history on Saturday, and there's no question that the decision will be the biggest of Shanahan's brief tenure as league disciplinarian.

Follow @NicholasGoss35

Nicholas Goss is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and was the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Final in Boston.