NASHVILLE — Austin Watson’s girlfriend is taking blame for the incident that led the NHL to suspend the Nashville Predators’ forward for 27 games, a punishment reduced to 18 games by an arbitrator on appeal. Jenn Guardino issued a statement Saturday saying the incident on June 16 was not an act of domestic violence and that Watson would never hit or abuse her. The NHL doesn’t have a written domestic violence policy and takes each situation on a case by case basis. The NHLPA has defended its work on domestic violence awareness with both rookies and throughout the season, noting the CBA giving players the right to appeal punishment for off-ice conduct. The 26-year-old Watson has 23 goals and 24 assists in 216 career regular-season games, all with the Predators.

Source: National Post October 13, 2018 22:18 UTC