NHL insider believes David Perron's agent hinted at NHLPA stepping in to appeal Red Wings winger's six-game suspension

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced on Friday that he has upheld the six-game suspension imposed on Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron. Perron received the suspension on Dec. 11, just two days after he cross-checked Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub in the head during the first period of their game in Detroit.

The league deemed the hit as a retaliatory action following an earlier incident in which Senators players Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly hit Detroit's captain, Dylan Larkin, rendering him unconscious on the ice.

The decision to uphold the suspension comes after Perron's appeal on Tuesday. Despite the appeal, Perron has already served the entirety of the six-game suspension and is now eligible to return to the ice for the Red Wings' upcoming game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun shed light on the situation by sharing a post on his X account. LeBrun noted that technically, it is the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) that appeals to the neutral arbitrator on behalf of the player.

He wrote,

"Technically it’s the NHLPA again that appeals on behalf of the player to the neutral arbitrator, and that hasn’t happened yet, but what David Perron’s agent Allan Walsh is saying here is that the NHLPA will."

---

Agent Allan Walsh criticizes Bettman's decision on David Perron's suspension

LeBrun also referenced a Twitter post from Perron's agent, Allan Walsh, in which Walsh expressed his dissatisfaction with Bettman's decision. Walsh stated,

"After Gary rubber stamps the Parros Kangaroo Court with a nonsensical, illogical opinion, expect David Perron to appeal to the neutral arbitrator. We expect to finally get a fair hearing and look forward to presenting the case."

This comment from Walsh strongly suggests that the NHLPA may step in to appeal Perron's suspension on behalf of the player. Walsh's reference to the "Parros Kangaroo Court" implies a lack of confidence in the NHL's disciplinary process, specifically mentioning George Parros, the head of the NHL Department of Player Safety.