NHL fines Sharks $100,000 for general manager's comments

NEW YORK, May 18 (UPI) -- The San Jose Sharks have been fined $100,000 for comments made by General Manager Doug Wilson, the NHL announced Saturday.

The fine came a day after Wilson issued a statement blasting the league's decision this week to suspend the Sharks' Raffi Torres for an illegal hit delivered to to the head of Los Angeles Kings forward Jarret Stoll.

Torres made the hit Tuesday in the second period of the Kings' 2-0 win over San Jose in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series.

NHL discipline chief Brendan Shanahan Thursday banned Torres for the remainder of the series.

Murray responded with statement calling the play a "clean hockey hit" and asserting Torres was unfairly suspended because of "past events."

That was presumably a reference to a 25-game suspension Torres earned last year when as a member of the Phoenix Coyotes he dealt a blow to the head of Chicago's Marian Hossa during conference quarterfinal series.

Hossa suffered a serious head injury on the play, missing the rest of the playoffs.

The league said the Sharks' fine was issued for violation of NHL rules prohibiting statements to the media during the 48-hour period following a disciplinary decision.