Last April the WHL suspended Brandon Magee of the Victoria Royals for 12 games for this vicious crosscheck to the head of Nic Petan of the Winterhawks. The incident occurred in the Royals' final game of the season, as Portland won that game and eliminated the Royals from the playoffs. So, the suspension was to be served this season. But was it?
Magee played his first game for the Royals last Saturday, which was Victoria's 13th game of the season. So he did miss their first 12 games. But there's a catch: Magee was in the training camp of the NHL's Calgary Flames until September 22, which means he was not available to play in Victoria's first two games of the season anyway. So in other words, Magee only actually missed ten WHL games which he could have played in. Not the 12 he was suspended for.
It would appear the WHL allowed Magee to count toward his suspension two games that he wasn't on Victoria's roster for. This seems....wrong? If, theoretically, he had signed a contract with the Flames and been sent to their AHL affiliate, could he have played several games for them, earning a paycheque, then been sent back to Victoria last week and been able to start playing immediately, thus effectively serving no suspension at all (and getting a few pro paycheques along the way)?
I don't understand this aspect of the WHL's suspension policy at all.
