Unsurprisingly, the department of player safety (as represented by Brendan Shanahan) has issued their ruling on Dane Byers after his 12:30 hearing this afternoon, and the verdict is a 3 game suspension.

The NHL ruled that Byers could have made a hit to the shoulder or chest rather than intentionally targeting the head, that Byers' previous suspension was worth consideration, and the fact that Andrew Desjardins was injured on the play.

Here's the video for the full details and explanation:

All things considered, the ruling seems reasonable, given the standards which have been set this season. If anything, I think Byers may have gotten off a little light.

For now, the Jackets will give his spot in the roster to Colton Gillies, who will make his CBJ debut on Tuesday. Once the suspension has cleared, I would not be surprised to see Byers returned to Springfield if the waiver pickup plays well.