I'm hoping, for his own good, Chris Simon is sitting down when he takes the call from Colin Campbell this morning.
Suffice to say Simon, even if he doesn't get the lifetime suspension I called for Monday, will have his cheeks parked in the seats for a while.
If Colin Campbell needed a night to sleep on it, even if it was only to make his decision public, you know Simon is about to go on an extended hiatus.
Now, some would argue that maybe the reason Campbell didn't announce the suspension was that the hockey world could only take so much bad news in one day.
In case you missed it, Todd Bertuzzi's testimony in the Steve Moore lawsuit became public knowledge late Tuesday.
Perhaps Campbell felt that was enough anti-NHL fodder for late-night sportscasts.
"Topping tonight's sports, Chris Simon is suspended for the year for stepping on a player with a skate on, and Todd Bertuzzi says he felt he felt obligated to break Steve Moore's neck on his coach's orders."
Ugly visual, sure, but I'm thinking Campbell is delaying the inevitable for just one reason.
Quite simply, he needs to talk things over with his cohorts, namely Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL counsel Bill Daly.
You see, this is going to be a lengthy suspension, one that Bettman has had more than just a say in. Subsequently, the league is going to have to answer some questions from NHLPA boss Paul Kelly and the union.
In dishing out suspensions totaling 45 games to Philadelphia's Steve Downie and Jesse Boulerice for cheap shots earlier this year, Campbell needed very little time to think it over. Both of those decisions came down not long after closed-door meetings with the players.
Really, this is a rather easy decision, isn't it?
In fact, the number of games, or years, was probably figured out before Simon even walked in Campbell's door Tuesday.
Simon is already on a paid leave of absence on Long Island. If he ever comes back, the Islanders may very well part ways with the enforcer.
Campbell may do the dirty work for them.
The punishment is going to be severe and no matter how you look at it, Chris Simon could possibly have played his last NHL game.
Note: The NHL handed down its decision Dec. 19, suspending Chris Simon for 30 games.