Bruins, Shawn Thornton Release Statements Regarding Forward’s 15-Game Suspension

Bruins forward Shawn Thornton learned his fate Saturday afternoon, and unsurprisingly, he and his team don’t have much to say about the situation — at least not yet.

Thornton was suspended 15 games by the NHL for his actions in a Dec. 7 game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Boston enforcer left Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik with a concussion after pulling him down and punching him twice. That earned Thornton one of the biggest suspensions in the history of the NHL’s department of player safety.

The Bruins and Thornton released statements following the announcement.

Here’s the statement from the Bruins, via general manager Peter Chiarelli:

“We respect the process including the ability to attend and present our case in person. At this time, we will decline comment until the process is complete and Shawn has exhausted all rights available to him.”

Here’s the statement from Thornton:

“I am aware of today’s ruling by the NHL Department of Player Safety. I will be consulting with the Bruins, my representation and the NHLPA about next steps, and will be in a position to address the matter publicly after speaking with those parties. Until then I will have no further comment.”