NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the four-game suspension given to Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy for an illegal check to the head of Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Oct. 30.
Since the suspension is less than six games and did not involve an in-person hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety, McAvoy is ineligible to appeal Bettman's decision to a neutral arbitrator.
In an overtime win against the Panthers, McAvoy received a match penalty at 9 minutes, 24 seconds of the third period for delivering a check that made Ekman-Larsson's head the main point of contact.