Reigning MVP Dobbie suspended for six games

Reigning most valuable player Dane Dobbie of the Calgary Roughnecks has been suspended for six games but the National Lacrosse League isn't revealing exact reasons.

Dobbie received a gross misconduct penalty at the buzzer of the Roughnecks' 12-7 win over the Vancouver Warriors on Nov. 29 at Rogers Arena.

That was Calgary's last game. The Roughnecks and the Warriors had byes this past week. The Roughnecks are idle again this week, too.

Calgary has 12 games in its 18-game schedule before it faces the Warriors again. That contest goes March 28 in Calgary.

A gross misconduct, under NLL rules, automatically becomes a match penalty, and a match penalty carries a onegame suspension.

Since Dobbie also received a match penalty for face masking in 2018, he's deemed a repeat offender and that carries an additional five-game suspension.

According to the NLL rule book, the “following list of infractions, but not limited to, can result in a gross misconduct being assessed: interfering with or striking a spectator; racial taunts and/or slurs; spitting on or at an opponent, spectator or referee.”

NLL commissioner Nick Sakiewicz released this statement after: “This is a private matter that has been resolved by including everyone involved. We consider this closed and are not going to comment further on any details. The resulting judgment came from the input of all involved and speaks for itself. There will be no further comment.”

The Professional Lacrosse Players' Association can appeal the suspension on Dobbie's behalf in front of an arbitrator, and Dobbie could play while the appeal was going on. What exactly happened is more likely to become public if they go that route, though.

The PLPA had a six-game suspension to New England Black Wolves' forward Callum Crawford — which included that five-game repeat offender clause and a match penalty for a hit to the head — reduced to two games last season.

Dobbie, who turned 33 earlier this month, led the NLL in scoring last season with 115 points, including 47 goals, in 18 games. He then helped Calgary to the playoff championship.

He's in his 13th season in the NLL, all with Calgary. He has 421 goals, 870 points and 261 penalty minutes in 179 regularseason games.

Calgary returns to action Dec. 21, when it hosts the Colorado Mammoth at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Last summer, Dobbie was part of a Maple Ridge Burrards team that lost in the Western Lacrosse Association final to the Victoria Shamrocks. He also coached the B.C. Junior A league Langley Thunder.

The Warriors, meanwhile, get back to action Saturday, when they host the New York Riptide at Rogers Arena.