Syracuse Scrunch Forward Maxim Groshev has suspended 10 games from the American Hockey League after using what the AHL called “racially insensitive language.”
The game in question happened against Rochester on Saturday.
Groshev is eligible to play on March 30th, as he was already sitting in one game.
He can also appeal to the rest of the suspension after eight games if he joins the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition and creates what AHL president and CEO Scott Howson considers sufficient advancement in his training program.
“The American Hockey League is committed to building a culture of all forms of safe, inclusive, abuse, harassment, unethical behavior and misconduct, and we believe that individual inclusive learning is an important component of improving the culture across the league,” the league said in a statement.
Tampa Bay Lightning selected Groshev in the third round of the 2020 draft. This is his second season in Lightning's top minor league affiliate marketing.
He has five goals and six assists in 46 games this season.
Groshev scored 10 goals and 20 assists in 67 games last season.
He has not yet played regular season games for lightning.
