Slava Voynov
Vyacheslav "Slava" Leonidovich Voynov is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, while also being suspended by the National Hockey League. The Los Angeles Kings terminated Voynov's six-year, $25 million contract in 2015 but retained his rights. Voynov was selected by the Kings in the second round, 32nd overall, of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career
Voynov began his career with Traktor Chelyabinsk, playing his rookie Russian Superleague season in 2006–07. After a second campaign with Traktor, he was selected in the second round, 32nd overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The Kings, in their efforts to translate his Cyrillic-scripted name into the Latin alphabet, originally spelled his given name as "Viatcheslav." In the same off-season, Voynov was also drafted fifth overall by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League 's Moncton Wildcats in the 2008 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. However, because of his two seasons of professional experience in Russia, Voynov was eligible to forego the junior process in North America, and was subsequently assigned to the Kings' minor league affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, in the American Hockey League. He recorded eight goals and 23 points in his AHL rookie season, and in the following campaign, he improved to 29 points in 79 games. In 2011, he was selected to represent the Eastern Conference at the 2011 AHL All-Star Game.Voynov's first and second career NHL goals were both scored on 27 October 2011, against Kari Lehtonen of the Dallas Stars. On 11 June 2012, Voynov won the Stanley Cup with the Kings in his first NHL season. Voynov had an impressive rookie season with the Kings, but with the 2012–13 NHL season delayed because due to a lockout, he was reassigned to Manchester to start the year. In the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, Voynov set a new Kings record for number of goals scored by a defenceman in one playoff season, scoring his fifth of the playoffs in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Chicago Blackhawks.
On 18 June 2013, in the subsequent off-season, Voynov and the Kings agreed on a six-year, $25 million contract extension worth an annual average value of $4.16 million.
Arrest and suspension
On 20 October 2014, Voynov was suspended indefinitely pending an investigation by the NHL after being arrested on misdemeanor domestic violence charges against his wife Marta Varlamova. On 20 November 2014, the Los Angeles County prosecutor announced that Voynov would be charged with "one felony count of corporal injury to a spouse with great bodily injury." Although Voynov was indefinitely suspended from the league, the Los Angeles Kings attempted to circumvent that by having Voynov attend a team practice. The Kings were later fined $100,000 for their misdemeanor.The NHL does not have a policy on domestic violence charges; however, Voynov's suspension was justified under the collective bargaining agreement of the NHL. Although the CBA does not outline cases specific to Voynov and domestic violence, the league is able to suspend players while they are part of a criminal investigation. Under section 18-A.5, "The league may suspend the player pending the league's formal review and disposition of the matter where the failure to suspend the player during this period would create a substantial risk of material harm to the legitimate interests and/or reputation of the league." If convicted, Voynov risked up to nine years in prison and the possibility to be deported back to Russia. Voynov only suited up for six games for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2014–2015 season, but he still received a full salary. Voynov was paid while he was under investigation by the league; however, he was banned from participating in any team activities while serving his suspension.
Voynov pleaded not guilty to the charges of domestic violence on 1 December 2014.
At a hearing on 15 December 2014, an officer testified that Varlamova told police Voynov punched, kicked, and choked her, and that her face was cut after Voynov pushed her into a flat-screen television. The officer also testified to seeing a laceration above Varlamova's left eye, blood streaming, and red marks on her neck. Voynov's attorney claimed that the police misunderstood Varlamova because she does not speak English and maintained she "fell down." On 16 December 2014, TMZ published a letter Varlamova wrote to the Los Angeles County District Attorney asserting that he had not intended to injure her and requesting that Voynov not be charged.
On 2 July 2015, Voynov pleaded no contest to a reduced misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. He received three years of probation and was ordered to attend counseling.
On 3 September 2015, Voynov was released from Seal Beach Police Detention Center, where he was being held since 7 July 2015. Upon his release, he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, where they held him at an unspecified detention facility to await trial in front of an immigration judge. Voynov was held without bond, which is common when ICE thinks the subject is a danger to the community or is a flight risk. Voynov elected to return to Russia rather than go through deportation proceedings. As a result, the Kings terminated his contract on 17 September 2015. Voynov was granted dismissal of his misdemeanor domestic abuse conviction on 2 July 2018. The motion was granted the day Voynov's three years of probation ended following his no contest plea to a misdemeanor charge of corporal injury to a spouse in 2015.
Return to Russia
He returned to Russia and signed a contract with a Russian powerhouse club SKA Saint Petersburg, where he won a Gagarin Cup in 2017. On 15 July 2019, he signed a one-year contract with Gagarin Cup finalists, Avangard Omsk.Having sat out the entirety of the 2018–19 season as a free agent, on 9 April 2019, the NHL announced that Voynov was suspended for the entire 2019–20 season and the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. Assuming good behaviour, his eligibility could be restored on 1 July 2020. On May 23, 2019 the NHLPA announced that independent arbitrator Shyam Das had determined Voynov's year-long suspension would be upheld, however he would be credited for time served and would only be suspended for 41 games of the 2019–20 season. Following the arbitration news, the LA Kings announced they did not have any intention of playing Voynov in the upcoming season and would be looking into cutting ties with him.
He returned to the professional circuit in the KHL, agreeing to a one-year deal with Avangard Omsk on 15 July 2019. In the 2019–20 season, Voynov played on Avangard's top pair leading all blueliners in scoring with 11 goals and 41 points in 59 games, earning his second career selection to the KHL All-Star Game. On 1 May 2020, Voynov left Avangard at the conclusion of his contract.