Raffi Torres Suspension Appeal To Be Heard Thursday, According To Report

(SB Nation) - Raffi Torres has decided to appeal his 25-game suspension, and he'll meet with the league on Thursday to do so, according to a report from Sportsnet.

The suspension was originally handed down in April during the Western Conference Semifinal series between the Phoenix Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks. Torres delivered a brutal, illegal hit on Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa in Game 3. Torres completed the trifecta on the check: He hit a player who didn't have the puck, he targeted Hossa's head and left his feet while delivering the hit.

Ultimately, the decision to overturn the suspension falls on Commissioner Gary Bettman. It seems unlikely that he'll lessen the blow on Torres' 25-game ban, which will force him to miss the remainder of the NHL postseason and perhaps even games next season, depending on how deep the Coyotes advance in these playoffs and how many games they have to play should they reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Torres' 25-game suspension is the longest in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.