A huge suspension is announced and a defenseman receives a multi-game ban

The British fourth tier is rarely a hotbed for international hockey news, but that changed dramatically this weekend. An ugly scene involving the Nottingham Lions 2 of the NIHL D2 has gone viral across social media.

Poole was handed a staggering 31-game suspension by the league disciplinary committee. It is one of the longest bans we have seen at any level of competitive hockey in recent memory.

The details of the infraction read like a bad movie script rather than a standard official game sheet. While sitting on his own bench, the 27-year-old defender butt-ended an opposing player straight in the face.

Using the butt-end of a stick is already considered one of the dirtiest plays in the sport. Doing it from the confines of the bench takes the disrespect to an entirely different level.

It shows a complete disregard for player safety and the unwritten code of the game. There is simply no room for that kind of garbage in modern hockey.

The Nottingham organization made a swift and decisive roster move following the dangerous incident. They immediately released the troubled blue liner, washing their hands of the massive distraction.

This creates a fascinating logistical nightmare for his playing future and any potential return to the ice. Because he is no longer attached to a team, his suspension clock is entirely frozen.

Those 31 games will not tick down while he sits at home as an unrestricted free agent. He must convince another club to officially sign him to a contract before he can even begin serving the penalty.

General managers are already hesitant to add distressed assets to their locker room culture. Bringing in a player with this specific baggage is a public relations nightmare waiting to happen.

Asking a franchise to burn a valuable roster spot on a guy who cannot dress for over thirty games is an impossible sell. The sheer length of the ban ensures that his name stays off a game sheet for an incredibly long time.

You rarely see a player effectively banish himself from the sport with one swing of the stick. His career in organized hockey might be completely finished after this single, reckless decision.

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