NEW YORK, March 12 (UPI) -- The NHL Sunday suspended New York Islanders forward Chris Simon for the rest of the season after his vicious stick hit on Rangers center Ryan Hollweg.
The hit occurred in the third period of the Rangers-Islanders game last Thursday.
After the blow, Hollweg collapsed to the ice and lay motionless for a few moments.
He eventually stood up and was not seriously injured, and has said he did not remember it.
Simon's suspension will cost him a minimum of 25 games.
That includes the 14 games left in the regular season.
If the Islanders do not make the playoffs, or play fewer than 10 games in the playoffs, he would serve additional games at the start of the 2007-08 regular season to reach the full 25 games.
Neither the team nor Simon made any comment.
There has been rumbling about a possible assault charge.
