Former Leafs Defenseman Suspended Three Games Following Controversial Play On The Ice
Former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman William Lagesson is facing a three-game suspension after a controversial use of a choke during a hockey fight.
During an AHL game between the Iowa Wild and Grand Rapids Griffins, Iowa Wild forward Adam Raska found himself on the end of a bizarre move as Griffins defenseman and former Maple Leaf William Lagesson put an MMA-style rear naked choke on Raska as the two got into a scuffle.
In the world of hockey, fighting is often a sacred art, even amongst the greatest of foes.
Enforcers play a very specific role, and while fighting has lessened each year, there are still some who take their jobs very seriously.
But rarely ever do you see a player disregard the unwritten rules and go for a much more violent act, but that's what William Lagesson did with Adam Raska.
Thanks to the vicious act, Lagesson has been handed a rightful three-game suspension for how he handled the fight with Raska.
It's surprising the ban isn't longer but there's no real precedent to punish these incidents.
Putting your opponent in a clinch is one thing, but to try and actively choke out your opponent is a completely different level. While it's extremely uncommon to happen, sadly it's not just a one-off occurrence.
Who Is William Lagesson?
Lagesson, a former Maple Leaf who was drafted by Edmonton (91st overall, 4th Round) is a 6'3 defenseman who has bounced around between the AHL and NHL.
Playing for 4 teams in his NHL career (Edmonton, Montreal, Anaheim, and Toronto), he has not yet solidified himself as an NHL regular.
The native of Gothenburg, Sweden signed with the Maple Leafs in 2023 as a free agent, went on waivers, then went unclaimed.
He ended up debuting for the Maple Leafs that year thanks to an injury to Jake McCabe and played mostly bottom-pairing minutes.
During Lagesson's time with Toronto he played in 30 games, while registering no goals and five assists and logging 19 PIM in 14:31 of ice time. He made his Leafs debut on Oct. 28, 2023 against the Nashville Predators in a losing effort.
Toronto didn't really have a ton of interest in keeping Lagesson so he was again placed on waivers before being claimed by Anaheim and then signing with Detroit this season.
FAQ: Former Maple Leafs Defenseman Suspended Three Games
Q1: Why was William Lagesson Suspended?
A1: William Lagesson was suspended because he placed Adam Raska in a chokehold while fighting during a game between the Grand Rapids Griffins and Iowa Wild. He received a three-game ban for the incident.
Q2: When did William Lagesson play for the Maple Leafs?
A2: William Lagesson played 30 games for the Maple Leafs in 2023-2024, recording zero goals and five assists. He was signed as a free agent in 2023 but was placed on waivers later that season, and claimed by Anaheim.
In closing, William Lagesson ended up putting a chokehold on his opponent during a fight which led to him receiving a three-game suspension.
It was a shocking incident that has no place in hockey at any point.
| POLL | ||
Should William Lagesson have gotten a longer suspension for choking Adam Raska? | ||
| Yes | 366 | 70.7 % |
| No | 152 | 29.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
