NHL Acts Swiftly in Suspending Slava Voynov for Domestic Violence Charges

Kings defenseman Slava Voynov was suspended indefinitely by the NHL on Monday, pending a league investigation of domestic violence charges. Harry How/Getty Images

By Jeff Pini

October 20, 2014

2 minutes to read

The NHL announced that it had suspended Los Angeles Kings player Slava Voynov indefinitely after the defenseman was reportedly arrested on domestic violence charges early Monday morning.

Kings defenseman Slava Voynov was suspended indefinitely by the NHL on Monday, pending a league investigation of domestic violence charges.

In a statement released by the NHL, the league said Voynov “has been suspended indefinitely from all club activities,’’ as the investigation is undertaken.

“The suspension was imposed under Section 18-A.5 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which provides that, during the pendency of a criminal investigation, ‘The League may suspend the Player pending the League’s formal review and disposition of the matter where the failure to suspend the Player during this period would create a substantial risk of material harm to the legitimate interests and/or reputation of the League.’’’

The league says that Voynov will be continued to be paid as the investigation commences. Redondo Beach, Calif. police issued a statement Monday afternoon (via Rich Hammond of the Orange County Register) in regards to Voynov’s arrest.

“At around 1 a.m. this morning, the Redondo Beach Police Department received a call from the Torrance Police Department concerning an adult female that was at Little Company of Mary hospital with an injury that was possibly in need of law enforcement…Redondo Beach police officers responded to the hospital and made contact with the victim at the hospital and determined that a crime of domestic violence did, in fact, occur in the city of Redondo Beach. The suspect in this crime was also present at the hospital and was taken into custody at the hospital and transported to the Redondo Beach Police Department.’’

According to the statement, Voynov was held on $50,000 bail and subsequently bailed out around 9 a.m. Monday morning.

Redondo Beach Police Lt. Joe Hoffman also said that “the extent of [the victim’s] injuries, at this time, is unknown,’’ and that “because of confidentiality laws related to domestic violence, we’re not going to release any information about the exact nature of the relationship,’’ though “a certain relationship is required in order for that [domestic violence] charge to be applied.’’

Voynov, 24, has scored 18 goals with 63 assists in 190 career NHL games.

The swift response by the NHL to the charges on Voynov comes in the wake of enormous criticism the National Football League received for its handling of its own players in domestic violence cases, including incidents involving Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, and Ray McDonald.