user: NHL official hit by Dennis Wideman out for rest of season with concussion
Dennis Wideman returned to the ice on Friday after his 20-game cross-checking suspension was reduced to 10 games, but the official he hit from behind is still recovering from concussion and will miss the rest of the season.

Don Henderson has not officiated in a match since the brutal hit from behind, and the NHL Officials Association said on Saturday that he would not return before the season’s end. Henderson was working the game between the Flames and the Predators on 27 January when Wideman came from behind and flattened him, sending him crashing to the ice and against the boards.

On Friday, Wideman played 18 minutes against the Coyotes in his first action since the incident. He insisted it was an accident. “I’m happy [my ban] was reduced to 10 games, but I still maintain that it was completely accidental and I had no intent on hitting [Henderson] at all,” he said.

Wideman, 32, was not penalised for the play, but the NHL handed down a 20-game suspension that was upheld by commissioner Gary Bettman. On Friday, however, an independent arbitrator reduced Wideman’s ban to 10 games.

The NHL Officials Association said it “strongly disagrees” with the ruling from James Oldham.

“The message in reducing the suspension that is sent to NHL players, as well as athletes all over the world, including children, is that the code of conduct towards officials has changed,” the NHLOA said.

On Friday, Oldham said that he agreed with the decision to ban Wideman, but said: “I do not think that Wideman’s behavior was animated by an intent to injure [Don] Henderson.”

In his 18-page opinion, Oldham wrote: “Both of them testified that they can remember almost nothing about what happened during the minutes immediately after their heads hit the glass or the boards.”

Henderson, 47, hit his head on the boards on the way down. At Wideman’s disciplinary hearing, Henderson testified that he felt as if he “got hit by a bus.”

Even though Wideman served 19 games of the suspension, the reduction does not sit well with officials. He will get back $282,258 of the $564,516 he was going to forfeit as a result of the suspension.

“The NHLOA intends to take all steps necessary so that its members are protected in the future and ensure that this type of conduct by a player against an official never happens again,” the association said.

Wideman played 18 minutes in the Flames’ 4-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night. He didn’t take questions from reporters but did make the following statement:

“First and foremost I want to wish Don Henderson a speedy recovery, I realize that he’s still working through his injuries and trying to make his way back and I hope to see him out here back on the ice as soon as possible,” Wideman said.

“I’m happy it was reduced to 10 games but I still maintain that it was completely accidental and I had no intent on hitting (Henderson) at all. As far as the process goes I know it was a bit of a longer process. I think being it was the first time, a precedent setting there was a lot that went into it from both NHL and NHLPA. I just hope maybe next time it can move along a little bit quicker.”
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assistant: Don Henderson still recovering and will not return to the ice, as officials’ association says it ‘strongly disagrees’ with decision to reduce Wideman’s ban