The National Hockey League once again made its punitive presence known to the Philadelphia Flyers, as forward Tom Sestito has been told to sit out for the remainder of the preseason (two games) and two additional regular-season games.
It was not an unexpected move, as the fiery bottom-six winger, who was fighting for a roster spot (somewhat literally) even posted a message on his Twitter account earlier in the day saying he was fortunate to not have the book thrown at him as a repeat offender.
Sestito, who has apparently been waived by the Flyers on Wednesday, was banned due to an illegal check from behind on Rangers forward Andre Deveaux during Monday’s 5-3 preseason victory. He was given a major for boarding, a major for fighting New York’s Stu Bickel after the hit, and a game misconduct.
Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti on the call for MSG.
Sestito will forfeit $5,945.94 in salary which goes to the Players’ Emergency
Assistance Fund.
Since the native of upstate New York is scheduled to land with Philly’s American
Hockey League affiliate — the Adirondack Phantoms — the AHL will review the
suspension before allowing him to play.
It’s the same deal that happened when Steve Downie was suspended 20 games for his 2007 preseason demolition of Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond — Downie was sent to the AHL and upon review, was suspended one month from the start of its own season for the illegal check.
If he somehow remains with the Flyers, Sestito will not be eligible to return until October 12 when Vancouver comes to Philadelphia.
He is the second Flyer to draw the attention of new discipline czar Brendan
Shanahan. Jody Shelley drew a 10-game suspension for an illegal hit on
against Toronto’s Darryl Boyce on September 22.