Breaking: NHL enforcer facing a massive 10 game suspension.

This is likely going to be one of the most hotly debated topics of the week and to be perfectly honest it seems like there may be no good answer on either side of the debate. 

On Wednesday night a brawl broke out between the Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames after the Flames took issue to how a fight between Red wings enforcer Luke Witkowski and Flames defenseman Brett Kulak ended. 

The incident that sparked that brawl is now at the center of a controversy that has Witkowski facing a massive 10 game suspension, without pay, a suspension that many feel carries a punishment that does not match the crime, 

The issue for Witkowski is that he left the ice after being escorted off by an official only to return to almost immediately after stepping off the ice to engage Flames agitator Matthew TkaChuk. The act of leaving the ice after being escorted off by an official carries with it an automatic 10 game suspension in the National Hockey League's official rule book. 

From NHL Rule 70.6:

Any player or goalkeeper who has been ordered to the dressing room by the officials and returns to his bench or to the ice surface for any reason before the appropriate time shall be assessed a game misconduct and shall be suspended automatically without pay for the next ten (10) regular League and/or Play-off games.

The controversy stems for the reason why Witkowski came back to the ice and it may in fact play in his favor when National Hockey League Player Safety makes a ruling on whether or not he will get the 10 game suspension. As Witkowski was leaving the ice, Tkachuk delivered a cheap shot to the back of Witkowski's leg and that is what caused him to turn around and go after Tkachuk. 

It wasn't a hard shot from Tkachuk but there is no doubt that Red Wing fans will argue that it should be a mitigating factor in the decision that eventually comes down regarding Witkowski's potential suspension. 

What do you think? Does he deserve the full 10 games? If not how many games would you give him if any? 

[pub]