Suspended Los Angeles Kings player Slava Voynov was charged Thursday with felony domestic violence about one month after the 24-year-old defenseman's arrest.
Voynov was charged with corporal injury to a spouse. The charge includes an allegation of causing great bodily injury.
The Russian player has maintained his innocence since the October arrest at a Torrance hospital, saying a language barrier led to a misunderstanding of what took place. Voynov's wife was hospitalized after authorities said she suffered injuries to her eyebrow, cheek and neck.
Voynov, named to the 2014 Russian Olympic hockey team, was drafted by the Kings in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He is in the second of a six-year contract with the 2014 Stanley Cup champions and one of four Kings to play in all 82 games last season.
His arrest at the hospital occurred after Redondo Beach police responded to the neighborhood where Voynov and his family reside. Authorities had received a report that a female "could be heard screaming" for about 20 minutes, according to a police statement.
Police did not receive a response at the couple's home. They were later contacted by Torrance police regarding a hospitalized woman.
A court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 1. Voynov posted bond shortly after his arrest.
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Voynov has been suspended by the league from all club activities since the arrest. The league's collective bargaining agreement allows for the suspension of a player during a criminal investigation.
Unlike the NFL and NBA, the NHL and Major League Baseball do not have policies specific to domestic violence. Penalties are usually handed out at the discretion of the commissioner on a case-by-case basis.
"We maintain our support of the NHL’s indefinite suspension of Slava Voynov," the Kings said in a statement. "As an organization we will continue to closely monitor the developments of the legal proceedings and work in partnership with the NHL to determine the proper course of action in the future."
The case follows other recent domestic violence investigations that involved high-profile professional athletes, including NFL running back Ray Rice. The Rice case and video of the assault in a casino elevator led to a new NFL policy regarding domestic violence offenders.
