Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Caleb Jones was suspended 20 games by the NHL for violating terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
The NHL announced the punitive measure Wednesday.
Per the league’s release, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referrals to the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program for evaluation and possible treatment.
No further details were offered by the NHL.
Jones, currently designated to injured reserve, issued a statement through the NHLPA explaining some of the circumstances:
“I have been informed of my positive test result and suspension under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
“At the time of the test, I was receiving an exosome therapy for a documented injury from an outside provider. I believe that my positive test was related to a contaminated substance associated with that treatment. While I did not use the prohibited substance intentionally or for performance enhancement, I understand that players are responsible for everything that enters their body and accept the discipline imposed by the program. I’m sorry to have let down my teammates, the Penguins organization, and our fans.”
Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas issued a statement as well:
“Caleb Jones informed us this week that he tested positive for a performance enhancing substance under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
“Throughout the process, Caleb has been forthcoming with the organization as to how he believes the positive test occurred. Caleb takes full responsibility for his actions, despite him being unaware that what he consumed was a prohibited substance at the time.
“The organization appreciates his transparency regarding this matter, and Caleb will follow all NHL and NHLPA protocols related to his suspension. Caleb has the full support of the Penguins organization, and we look forward to welcoming him back to the ice when he is cleared.”
Suspensions for performance-enhancing substances are rare in the NHL, at least in relation to other sports leagues in North America.
Last March, Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was suspended 20 games for such a violation. Before Ekblad, the last NHLer to face discipline for this type of violation was defenseman Nate Schmidt, then of the Vegas Golden Knights, in 2018.
Any and all supplements NHL players can used must be certified by NSF International, a public health organization that also works with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), MLB and the CFL.
The NHL and NHLPA provide plenty of resources explaining what is legal to players.
“We have a website which all the supplements that you’re allowed to take are on it,” Penguins defenseman Kris Letang said last season. “Anything that is not on that website is a risk to take.
“If I have a doubt on something that is not a supplement but maybe could have something, I usually call the doctors or whoever. But most of the time, I take whatever product (the team’s medical staffers offer) and take it home.”
Jones, 28, has not played any NHL contests since Oct. 23 because of various injuries.
A suspected left foot injury initially landed him on injured reserve in late October. By mid-January, he had recovered enough to garner a conditioning assignment with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League but suffered a separate undisclosed injury in his first contest with that club Jan. 14.
Since then, Jones had been rehabilitating with the NHL club and was cleared for contact Monday.
A left-handed shot, Jones played in seven of the team’s first eight games of the season and recorded an assist. Primarily deployed on the bottom pairing, Jones averaged 17 minutes, 10 seconds of ice time.
“He was playing well,” coach Dan Muse said in January. “It’s unfortunate there with the injury. … What I saw out of him, I think it’s the puck movement, the ability to close and take away time and space, the stick detail. All of those things were in a good place there prior to him getting hurt.”
The soonest Jones could rejoin the lineup following the completion of his suspension is a road contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 2.
Jones joined the Penguins as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason, agreeing to a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $900,000.
Notes: After having the remainder of his NHL contract formally terminated by the Penguins on Wednesday, former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goaltender Filip Larsson signed with Leksand IF of the Swedish Hockey League. Larsson’s deal with that club — which is coached by former Penguins goaltender Johan Hedberg — will keep him under contract through the 2028-29 season. Larsson’s departure leaves the Penguins with 46 active NHL contracts for the current season, four short of the league’s limit of 50. … The NHL’s trade freeze for the Olympic break went into effect at 3 p.m. Wednesday and will last until 11:59 p.m. Feb. 22.
