The wait, painful as it may be, continues for Dennis Wideman and the Calgary Flames.
It’s been over five weeks since the National Hockey League handed down a 20-game suspension to the defenceman for his collision with linesman Don Henderson.
Wideman will serve the final game of that suspension Friday night, and is still awaiting a decision on his second appeal, this one with an independent arbitrator.
“The league told me (Wednesday) that the arbitrator indicated he would rule this week,” said Flames President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke.
READ MORE: Bettman upholds Wideman’s 20-game suspension; NHLPA appeals
This is the first time a player has taken an appeal to a third party, and the result has been a frustrating process for Wideman and the Flames organization.
“This delay is not fair to players,” said Burke. “And conversely to us, if it’s reduced to 10 games, and we’ve played the last eight games without one of our top four defenceman, that’s not right.”
Burke and the Flames have maintained from the beginning they do not agree with the decision, but now six weeks since the collision, all parties would just like a resolution.
“There’s no excuse for it to take as long as it has, but I don’t blame the NHL or NHLPA for that, this is new water for everybody,” said Burke.
“Not throwing rocks, they’ve got to get this into a more streamlined procedure for the next player.”
In the meantime, the wait continues.
“I’ve got my phone on waiting to hear,” Burke added.
The Flames host Arizona on Friday night, which will be the final game of Wideman’s suspension. He will forfeit over $564,000 in salary.
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