Anaheim forward Jean-Francois Jacques will miss the rest of the preseason and the Ducks' first five regular-season games after being suspended by the NHL for leaving the bench on a legal line change to start a fight with Vancouver's Mike Duco.
Brendan Shanahan, the league's new senior vice president of player safety, handed down the punishment on Tuesday. It has been quite an active exhibition season for Shanahan, who has already issued six suspensions in his new role.
Each ban, except for a two-game suspension of Buffalo's Brad Boyes, has been for the remainder of the preseason schedule and carries into the regular season. Jacques is the first to be suspended for something other than a hit to the head or a check from behind.
Late in the third period on Saturday, Jacques came onto the ice and skated directly toward Duco - making no attempt to take part in the play. Jacques received a minor penalty for instigating, a fighting major, a 10-minute misconduct, and an automatic one-game suspension for starting a fight in the final five minutes of a game.
Because he came on the ice on a legal line change, Jacques was not subject to an automatic 10-game suspension for leaving the bench to start or join a fight.
Based on Jacques' average salary, he will lose $17,567.55 for the suspension. He is eligible to return on Oct. 21 against Dallas.
