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Paul Bissonnette, a former NHL player and hockey analyst on TNT, was assaulted by six men at a restaurant in Arizona on Sunday night after he alleged that a group of "drunk golfers" were causing a scene after being refused service.
Bissonnette, who last played in the league for the Arizona Coyotes, released a video statement on social media on Monday after news broke that six men were arrested and are facing charges of assault and disorderly conduct for the incident that took place at Houston’s restaurant in Scottsdale.
Paul Bissonnette attends the 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park on Jan. 2, 2023 in Boston. (Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)
The former hockey player, who also hosts a podcast on Barstool, gave his version of events in a video posted on X. He explained that the incident took place at a restaurant he frequents and that he became involved after he saw one of the men become physical with the restaurant’s manager.
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"I go to dinner at this place called Houston’s – I go there like three or four times a week. The staff’s incredible, the food’s incredible and, just like good people, I love going there," he began.
"At one point there was a bit of a ruckus going on in the bar – it was a bunch of drunk golfers. Things obviously continued to escalate. They asked one guy to leave, and then one guy kept getting in the manager’s face, put his hands on him, and that went on for probably 30–45 seconds. You could tell he was a little shocked and surprised and stunned.
FILE - Calgary Flames right wing Tim Jackman, #15, and Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Paul Bissonnette, #12, fight during the third period at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Sept, 25, 2013. (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)
"It’s a family restaurant, I don’t think there was anybody in there who could go maybe help him out. So I went over, I just grabbed the guy's arm that was on [the manager]. I said ‘Sir, if you continue to harass and assault the staff, we’re gonna have problems.’ And then they just started chucking. So, it escalated extremely quickly. I think it was seven guys I fought with throughout the course of the restaurant all the way into the parking lot over to CVS."
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Bissonnette, 39, said the fight spilled out into the street and claimed that he was kicked in the head several times. He said he was taken to the hospital as a result.
"Got taken down a couple of times. I got boot f---ed in the head three times by the CVS – luckily didn’t get knocked out," he said in the video.
"Just like bad dudes. Way too drunk and I don’t know what else they had in their system, but yeah, I’m very, very angry at these guys and kind of want their names out there and want them to pay the piper. Just unacceptable behavior at a family restaurant just because they couldn’t grab another cocktail and didn’t want to hear ‘No’ for an answer. Like I said, at that point with the guy all over the manager I just figured I had to go over."
Phoenix Coyotes' Paul Bissonnette passes the puck against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013 in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
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According to FOX10, Scottsdale police arrested six men involved in the fight on charges of assault and disorderly conduct. Five are facing misdemeanors and the sixth is facing a felony. They were not identified by law enforcement, according to the report.
"There was an altercation inside the restaurant with six adult men and the management. Reportedly, Paul Bissonnette tried to help management calm the men and get them to leave. The situation escalated to the men assaulting Paul Bissonnette both inside and outside of the restaurant," Scottsdale Police Sgt. Allison Sempsis told the station.
Bissonnette played in the NHL from 2008-2014, spending his final six seasons with the Arizona Coyotes.
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