Gary Suter Could Have Paid a Stiffer Price

Brian Burke, the NHL’s director of hockey operations and its chief disciplinarian, said Friday that if the seriousness of Mighty Duck left wing Paul Kariya’s concussion had been immediately apparent, the NHL might have given Chicago defenseman Gary Suter more than a four-game suspension for the Feb. 1 cross-check that knocked Kariya out of the Olympics.

“It’s a hypothetical, and I hate to deal in hypotheticals, but I might well have [given Suter a longer sentence],” Burke said. “The diagnosis was that it was not even a Grade 2 concussion. It was diagnosed as a Grade 1 concussion and they said might miss one game, maybe two. . . . We don’t take medical reports from anyone but medical personnel connected with the team. The extent of the injury is a factor, and that was the information we had.”

Kariya sat out the Ducks’ last two games before the Olympic break and was forced to withdraw from the Games because of lingering symptoms of post-concussion syndrome.

Burke said the suspension cannot be altered because that would violate the NHL’s agreement with the NHL Players Assn. on disciplinary procedures.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene Fasel said the two organizations will discuss whether to begin recognizing each other’s disciplinary rulings. Just as Suter’s suspension hasn’t kept him from playing for the U.S. at Nagano, an NHL player who incurs a match penalty and a four-game suspension at the Olympics would be eligible to play in NHL games but could not play in the world championships, which are under the IIHF’s jurisdiction.

Bettman also lamented Kariya’s absence. “Frankly, no one is more unhappy that Paul Kariya is not here than I am,” he said.

Suter issued a statement through the U.S. team: “I had hoped Paul would have been able to play. It is unfortunate that he cannot. The NHL has dealt with the disciplinary end of this. I certainly regret the situation. I have to put this behind me and get ready to play.”

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U.S. forward Shawn McEachern withdrew from the Olympics because of a strained back. He was replaced on the roster by Jamie Langenbrunner of Dallas.

Langenbrunner did not arrive in Nagano in time for the U.S. team’s 4-2 loss to Sweden on Friday, leaving the U.S. short one man. Teams can dress 20 skaters and two goaltenders for each game.

Right wing Mark Recchi of the Montreal Canadiens, who replaced Kariya on Canada’s roster, missed his team’s opener Friday but was expected to get some action Saturday against Sweden.