Slava Voynov Update and Reactions
On Monday, October 20th, Slava Voynov was arrested on domestic volence charges. It’s been this week’s big story around the NHL, and put the Los Angeles Kings in the front-page news during a three day game break.
An update to Voynov’s arraignment: it will be on Monday, December 1st, not today – Wednesday, October 22nd, as was originally stated. Voynov’s next court date was moved to December, as opposed to two days after his arrest, because he was able to post the $50,000 bail. Though, to be clear, no formal charges have yet been filed.
Voynov’s suspension from the NHL and Kings activities is solely the decision of NHL executives, though the Kings support the decision completely. It was a swift and appropriate measure taken by the NHL in wake of the recent juggling circus of activities surrounding the NFL, involving Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald.
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The suspension is only temperorary, for the period of the pending investigation results. By implication it gives the appearance of appropriating guilt to Voynov.
Whether or not it’s a slap in the face for Slava Voynov, it’s a black eye for the NHL. A league which has historically, the fewest run-ins with the law.
Arrest Nation charted 2013 statistics for violations and arrests among athletes. The NFL is in second place, first of the four major professional sports. The NHL and pro hockey rank fourth among the four major pro sports, and tenth overall; tied with collegiate volleyball. After all, the adrenaline and physical violence involved in women’s volleyball is hard to suppress off the courts.
The NHL wants to take the right course of action, avoiding the tradition of fumbling that the NFL has. (O.J. Simpson, cough), (Jim Brown, cough), (Jim Dunaway, cough), (Tommy Kane, cough), (Rae Carruth, cough).
Who can blame the NHL? It is the right move. Don’t take away the player’s lively hood, but separate the league from the act until the facts are revealed. Most professional league executives are or were lawyers, or have law degrees. This seems like the logical, lawyerly course of action. But again, that does not mean Slava Voynov is guilty.
Domestic violence is a terrible crime and should never be condoned, or made out to be a sports spectacle. People have tempers, and people get pissed off, but there is never an excuse to assault a child or a woman. Hitting women doesn’t make someone a man, or manly; it makes you a coward. Applying morals and inductive reasoning, if you fight with women, you fight like a woman. And disciplining your children with a tap on the head or the backside is different from beating them without rhyme, reason, or mercy.
On thing is for sure, Voynov isn’t just costing himself, but his team as well. As of right now, the Kings will not only lose Voynov indefinitely, they will pay for his services, and Voynov’s contract will continue to count against the Kings salary cap.
Jon Rosen had the chance to interview Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi about the incident and the NHL’s reaction. Here’s what Dean had to say:
Jan 9, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings coach Darryl Sutter is presented a pair of cowboy boots by Kings general manager Dean Lombardi to commemorate Sutter
May 18, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov (26) during the third period in game one of the Western Conference Final of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at United Center. Chicago Blackhawks defeats the Los Angeles Kings 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
“The biggest issue you’ve got, there’s always that line between innocent until proven guilty, right? So that’s where the rub is. ‘Are you surprised by what they did, particularly, obviously in this climate?’ No. Then the issue of ‘Well, is it appropriate considering he hadn’t [been charged], because in the old days, before this, you saw the other cases, the leagues would always say, ‘Well, wait a minute, there’s a criminal process that has to take place before they can react.’ Even in the NBA, they had nine cases in the last three years. You saw that in baseball at times with Albert Belle, Canseco. So it was always that was the way it was handled, that there’s a criminal thing, let it play out, even the players played because we were going under the premise of innocent until proven guilty. That now has obviously changed from the old days, which, I get it. So to say ‘I’m surprised’ that they acted that way, no. And do I think it’s inappropriate? No. And the danger is saying, ‘Well, he hasn’t been proven guilty.’ But that’s clearly the way the leagues are headed right now, that the charge itself is enough to take action, whereas in the past it wasn’t.”
Head coach Darryl Sutter weighed in on his opinion of the situation, and how his team will handle it. He was candid in his response:
“We’re pretty close as a team. It’s not just ‘team,’ it’s more of a family thing. We deal with distractions all the time. We’ve been able to handle a lot of adversity and pressure for three years now. [Reporter: Is this in any way different because it’s a legal matter, as far as a distraction goes?] I guess ‘yes,’ because we don’t really have anything to talk about. “It’s a legal process and we’ll let that play out.”
We have to wait to see all the facts before rushing to judgement on the conduct of Slava Voynov. For now, the NHL should be recognized for making a good call by setting a new precedent. The NHL is trying to be consistent; which is more than we can say about the NHL’s in-game officiating.