Brendan Smith suspended 8 games

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Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith has been suspended for the remainder of the preseason plus five regular-season games for his hit to the head of Chicago's Ben Smith earlier this week.

Brendan Smith

Brendan Smith's suspension, without pay, covers a total of eight games. He loses $23,648.65 in salary.

Under new NHL senior vice president Brendan Shanahan -- a former Red Wings star -- eight players have been suspended since the preseason began, for a total of 26 preseason games, 29 regular-season games and $666,186.89 in forfeited salary.

"Obviously Shanny is taking this real serious," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "There's going to be an evolution, too. I think they're trying to do what they think is right. We didn't offer an opinion, we didn't phone them and lobby" for a lesser suspension for Smith.

Ben Smith took an open-ice hit to the head in the Blackhawks' 4-3 preseason win over the Red Wings on Wednesday. After watching replays, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville insisted Brendan Smith's hit, at 5:26 of the third period, was dirty.

Quenneville agreed with the length of the suspension.

"The suspensions are lengthier than they've been in the past," Quenneville said Friday. "I think the players are going to adapt.

"It's been kind of in line the way things have been going here. In the past it would not have been as severe, but I think this is a new area they're looking at."

Quenneville hasn't put a timeline on Ben Smith's return to the team, saying only that he is day to day.

Information from ESPNChicago.com's Jesse Rogers was included in this report.

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