Slava Voynov

**Slava Voynov** (born Vyacheslav Leonidovich Voynov on January 15, 1990 in Chelyabinsk, Russia) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) while also being suspended by the NHL.

He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

## Playing Career

Slava began his career with Traktor Chelyabinsk, playing his rookie Russian Superleague (RSL) season in the 2006–07 season. After a second campaign with Traktor, he was selected in the second round (32nd overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

During the same off-season, Slava was also drafted fifth overall by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)'s Moncton Wildcats in the 2008 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft.

However, due to his two seasons of professional experience in Russia, Slava was eligible to forego the junior process in North America, and he was subsequently assigned to the Kings' minor league affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs in the American Hockey League (AHL).

He recorded eight goals and 23 points in his AHL rookie season, and in the following campaign, he improved to 29 points in 79 games. In 2011, he was selected to represent the Eastern Conference at the 2011 AHL All-Star Game.

On June 13, 2013, in the subsequent off-season, Slava and the Kings agreed on a six-year, $25 million contract extension worth an annual average value of $4.16 million.

### Arrest & Suspension

On October 20, 2014, Slava was suspended indefinitely pending an investigation by the NHL after being arrested on misdemeanor domestic violence charges against his wife Marta Varlamova.

On November 20, 2014, the Los Angeles County prosecutor announced that he would be charged with "one felony count of corporal injury to a spouse with great bodily injury."

Although Slava was indefinitely suspended from the league, the Los Angeles Kings attempted to circumvent that by having him attend a team practice. The Kings were later fined $100,000 for their misdemeanor.

The NHL does not have a policy on domestic violence charges; however, Slava's suspension was justified under the collective bargaining agreement of the NHL. Although the CBA does not outline cases specific to Voynov and domestic violence, the league is able to suspend players while they are part of a criminal investigation.

If convicted, Slava risked up to nine years in prison and the possibility to be deported back to Russia. He only suited up for six games for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2014–2015 season, but he still received a full salary. He was paid while he was under investigation by the league; however, he was banned from participating in any team activities while serving his suspension.

On December 1, 2014, Slava pleaded not guilty to the charges of domestic violence.
At a hearing on December 15, 2014, an officer testified that Varlamova told police Slava punched, kicked, and choked Marta, and that her face was cut after he pushed her into a flat-screen television.

The officer also testified to seeing a laceration above Marta's left eye, blood streaming, and red marks on her neck. Slava's attorney claimed that the police misunderstood Marta because she does not speak English and maintained she "fell down."

On 16 December 16, 2014, TMZ published a letter that Marta wrote to the Los Angeles County District Attorney asserting that Slava had not intended to injure her and requesting that he not be charged.

On July 2, 2015, Slava pleaded no contest to a reduced misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. He received three years of probation and was ordered to attend counseling.

On September 3, 2015, Slava was released from Seal Beach Police Detention Center, where he was being held since July 7, 2015. Upon his release, he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) where they held him at an unspecified detention facility to await trial in front of an immigration judge.

Slava was held without bond (which is common when ICE thinks the subject is a danger to the community or is a flight risk). He elected to return to Russia rather than go through deportation proceedings. As a result, the Kings terminated his contract on September 17, 2015.

On July 2, 2018, he was granted dismissal of his misdemeanor domestic abuse conviction. The motion was granted the day his three years of probation ended following his no contest plea to a misdemeanor charge of corporal injury to a spouse in 2015.

Slava returned to Russia and signed a contract with a Russian powerhouse club SKA Saint Petersburg, where he won a Gagarin Cup in 2017. On July 15, 2019, he signed a one-year contract with Gagarin Cup finalists, Avangard Omsk.

Having sat out the entirety of the 2018–19 season as a free agent, on April 9, 2019, the NHL announced that he was suspended for the entire 2019–20 season and the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. Assuming good behaviour, his eligibility could be restored on July 1, 2020.

On May 23, 2019, the NHLPA announced that independent arbitrator Shyam Das had determined his year-long suspension would be upheld; however, he would be credited for time served and would only be suspended for 41 games of the 2019–20 season.

Following the arbitration news, the LA Kings announced that they did not have any intention of playing Slava in the upcoming season and would be looking into cutting ties with him.

## International Play

Slava has played for Russia at the World Under-18 Tournament, the World Junior Tournament, the 2014 Olympics and the 2016 World Championship. He was a member of the Russian team at the 2018 Winter Olympics and won the gold medal.