It's been more than six weeks since Dennis Wideman cross-checked linesman Don Henderson, and the situation continues to intensify after an arbitrator recently made a decision to reduce the defenseman's suspension from 20 games to 10.

While Wideman was thankful for the sentence reduction, the NHL Officials' Association isn't happy with the decision, releasing the following statement Saturday:

The NHLOA strongly disagrees with the arbitrator's decision to reduce Dennis Wideman's suspension to 10 games while linesman Don Henderson continues to recover from an injury inflicted by the player that will sideline him for the rest of the season. The message in reducing the suspension that is sent to NHL players, as well as athletes all over the world, including children, is that hte code of conduct towards officials has changed.

The NHLOA intends to take all steps necessary so that its members are protected in the future and ensure that this type of conduct by a player against an official never happens again.

Both Henderson and Wideman, who was hit by an opposing player moments before he collided with the official, suffered concussions during the incident.

The Calgary Flames defender returned to the lineup Friday against the Arizona Coyotes, playing 18 minutes in a 4-1 loss.

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After a "chaotic" six-plus weeks and 19 games lost while in limbo, Dennis Wideman spoke for the final time about his now infamous Jan. 27 incident - and the since-reduced suspension - for cross-checking linesman Don Henderson.

And he stuck to his guns, of course.

"I'm happy that it was reduced to 10 games," Wideman said. "But I still maintain that it was completely accidental, and I had no intent on hitting Donny at all."

Wideman thanked the Flames, the club's staff, his coaches, teammates, and the NHLPA for support throughout. And though he acknowledged that it was "precedent-setting," he hopes that next time, the process will move along quicker.

Wideman will receive compensation for the needlessly lost time, but it will be impossible to repay both the player and organization the nine additional games he was forced to sit.

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Jason Spezza scored in a fifth straight game and for the 26th time on the season Friday and in the process reached, then later surpassed, the 50-point plateau for an 11th time in his career.

So naturally, and nearly two seasons after the fact (and conveniently while he's on a tear), it's time to revisit the trade he helped engineer from the Ottawa Senators.

And boy, it ain't pretty Senators fans.

For those who need a reminder:

Dallas receives: Jason Spezza, Ludwig Karlsson
Ottawa receives: Alex Chiasson, Alex Guptill, Nick Paul, 2nd-round pick

In Dallas, Spezza has the benefit of often sharing the ice with two of the NHL's premier attacking players in Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. But by no means should that discount or taint what he's done through 144 games.

Entering Friday's game, a 5-2 win in which he contributed a pair of points, Spezza's 2.69 points/60 minutes represents a greater rate than any Senators player, and is 0.60 points better than Ottawa's top producing center, Kyle Turris.

In addition to that, Spezza's 4.94 points/60 minutes on the power play (which incredibly, is actually greater than Benn's) is more than any Senators player. Yes, that includes Erik Karlsson.

While Spezza continues to be an objectively elite point producer, racking up 111 in 144 games, the Senators have received basically nothing in return.

Chiasson, the only regular contributor Ottawa acquired in the deal, has 37 points in 140 games and has been maligned throughout his tenure. Paul remains a decent prospect, but hasn't had his attacking talents translate in his first professional season. Guptill has since been dealt in a minor-league deal. And Gabriel Gagne, the eventual second-round selection, is stuck on 14 goals in an unremarkable third Major Junior season.

It's important to note that the Senators haven't been rendered impotent by the absence of their long-time captain. In fact, they rank eight slots behind Dallas as the ninth-highest scoring team since Spezza's departure. But in the immediate, and also toward the long term, it's hard to imagine the Spezza deal - a critical moment in the history of the franchise - ever looking favorably on the Senators.

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