NHL Files Lawsuit Against NHLPA over Dennis Wideman Suspension

The battle between the NHL, NHL Players' Association and Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman has taken a new turn with the NHL suing the union. 

Per a court document filed in New York, the NHL is contesting the ruling from a third-party arbitrator who reduced Wideman's suspension from 20 games to 10 games, stating the arbitrator didn’t provide "substantial evidence” against the initial ruling.

The suspension stemmed from Wideman skating into linesman Don Henderson after he suffered a big hit during a game against the Nashville Predators in January. 

The NHL announced on February 3 that it was suspending Wideman for 20 games without pay as a result of the hit against Henderson. The NHLPA immediately issued a statement announcing it was filing an appeal on Wideman's behalf, noting he had "played in 11 NHL seasons and almost 800 games without incident."

On the same day it announced Wideman's suspension, the NHL also revealed he "was diagnosed with a concussion" after hitting the linesman.

In March, per ESPN.com's Joe McDonald, arbitrator James Oldham cut Wideman's suspension in half because the league's evidence against the Flames defenseman was not ""substantially supported." Oldman said that in his opinion, Wideman "did not...deliberately strike" Henderson. 

At the time the arbitration ruling was announced, Wideman had already served 19 games of his suspension. He was owed payment for the previous nine games. 

The 33-year-old played only in three games after his suspension was reduced before a triceps injury ended his season prematurely. 

Even though the NHL would only be sitting down Wideman for one more game if the lawsuit is successful, a victory would help the league's authority when it comes to handing down suspensions for actions, intentional or otherwise, against officials. 

However, the league is also rehashing one of its lowest moments of the season one day before Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, where the Pittsburgh Penguins have an opportunity to end the series on their home ice.