Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jarred Tinordi has been suspended 20 games without pay by the NHL for violating the league’s Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
The Arizona Coyotes acquired Jarred Tinordi in what was though to be a lopsided trade that sent John Scott to the Montreal Canadiens.
Now the pending restricted free agent has failed a drug test and will be suspended 20 games by the NHL.
Tinordi has played in just seven games since joining the Coyotes from Montreal on January 15th.
While he showed some promise while in the lineup, he was often a healthy scratch behind the Coyotes’ other recent defensive acquisition in Kevin Connauton.
The Arizona Coyotes’ press release on the matter reads as follows:
"The National Hockey League (NHL) announced today that Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jarred Tinordi has been suspended for 20 games, without pay, for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment. Following today’s announcement by the NHL, Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney issued the following statement: “Late yesterday afternoon, we were made aware of the situation regarding Jarred Tinordi. The Arizona Coyotes organization fully supports the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. We will also continue to support Jarred throughout this process. We will have no further comment at this time.” The National Hockey League Players’ Association released the following statement on behalf of Jarred Tinordi: “I am extremely disappointed that I failed a test under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. I did not knowingly take a banned substance. I understand, however, that I am responsible for what enters my body as a professional athlete and I accept the suspension. I will work hard towards my return to the ice and will learn from this frustrating setback.”"
The suspension has raised some curiosity from media members and fans regarding the comments made by Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin after the John Scott deal was completed.
The Arizona Coyotes have been carrying eight defensemen on the roster since Tinordi was acquired.
The prediction was that at least one of those names would be unloaded at the trade deadline, however that did not come to fruition.
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Nicklas Grossmann, Jarred Tinordi, and Kevin Connauton all remained on board because general manager Don Maloney said he wanted to remain competitive.
This suspension effectively ends Tinordi’s season and frees up the logjam on defense for head coach Dave Tippett, however.
Considering the fact that Tinordi will still have to serve four games of his suspension at the start of the 2016-17 season, he may have already played his last game as a member of the Arizona Coyotes.