Mark Bell: Expected to be Reinstated
According to TSN and their sources; which are usually 100% reliable; Off-season acquisition Mark Bell will be reinstated sometime today; meaning that his 15-game suspension will begin counting.
This would mean that Bell is eligible to return on Nov. 6 against Ottawa.
Of similar news…
Bob McCoun of Rogers Sportsnet mentioned this on his show yesterday (not word for word)…
Does anyone find it interesting that Downie received a 20-game suspension for a blatant hit (probably intent – but it’s difficult to prove intent) and Mark Bell received 15 for an off-ice incident?
McCoun, Stephen Brunt and Groden Kirke debated this and came to a conclusion that PERHAPS because Bell’s incident was a felony, then Bell was suspended. McCoun notes that Bill Daly (NHL VP) did not confirm that the word “felony” was the magic word.
Of note, Jay Bouwmeester was charged with DUI, but because it was not a felony charge, it is believed that this is the reason why he was not suspended; ditto for the Staal’s, not felony charges.