Flames prospect Martin Pospisil receives 12 game USHL suspension

2018 Flames draft pick and noted hothead Martin Pospisil made minor waves in the larger world of hockey news when he was caught on video attempting to jump the boards and have, at the very least, a less-than-amicable discussion with an opposing fan.

Today, the hammer has fallen, and Pospisil has received one of the harshest penalties in USHL history: a 12 game suspension.

Pospisil’s infractions was documented in this week’s prospect update. In Sioux City’s game against Omaha, Pospisil had been sent to the box, where Omaha fans had begun throwing garbage at him. According to various sources, he was pelted with a lighter and other things that shouldn’t be thrown at people, and Pospisil threw them back at the fans.

The video in the prospect update – which is just an 11-second snippet and not an objective record of the whole incident – clearly shows a fan in front throwing something at Pospisil, which set him off and climbing up the boards. Security officials removed Pospisil before any fists could go flying.

The suspension breaks down into one game for spearing, two for abuse of officials, and nine for the altercation. The USHL doesn’t keep great records of its suspension history, but this is certainly the longest in recent memory.

Pospisil will be eligible to return March 22 against, ironically, Omaha, at the exact same arena where this incident has happened. Hopefully everyone involved has a short memory, and in case they don’t, hopefully Omaha has installed taller glass panes around the penalty box.