Dennis Wideman video: Calgary Flames defenceman facing minimum 20-match suspension after hitting official

Wideman was hit by Nashville's Miikka Salomaki moments before he checked linesman Don Henderson

Calgary Flames defenceman Dennis Wideman is facing a minimum 20-match suspension after checking a linesman during the NHL game against the Nashville Predators.

Wideman faced a wave of criticism after appearing to deliberately hit official Don Henderson while making his way to the bench, sending him crashing to the ice in front of the Predators’ squad, and the incident caught on TV cameras.

Wideman said afterwards that the hit was unintentional, though the video evidence appears to suggest otherwise as pundits condemned the actions of the 32-year-old.

Seconds before the sickening incident, be it intentional or otherwise, Wideman was hit by the Predators’ Miikka Salomaki, and it was suggested that the Flames’ defenceman may have been upset with Henderson for not calling a penalty on Salomaki.

Speaking after the match, Henderson said: "I took a pretty hard hit down in the corner and had some pretty good pain in my shoulder and my neck and I was just trying to get off the ice.

"And I was kind of keeled over and at the last second, I looked up and I saw him and I couldn't avoid it."

Wideman makes his way towards the bench as Henderson watches play

Wideman appears to intentionally check Henderson from behind

Wideman hits Henderson from behind

Henderson is left in a heap on the ice as Wideman makes his way to the bench

The hit shocked the Predators’ bench, with many jolting as Henderson crashed to the ice, although Wideman did skate over to the officials at the next stoppage to apologise, and no penalty was called on Wideman.

"Throughout my career — and I've been around for a few years — I think I've treated every official with the utmost respect," Wideman said. "I would never intentionally try to hit a linesman or a ref or anything like that."

Despite his protestations of innocence, Wideman could be banned for “deliberately attempting to injure an official”, which carries a minimum 20-game suspension. The video shows that Wideman made no effort to try and avoid Henderson before impact, and did not check to see if he was ok afterwards as he simply made his way to the Flames’ bench.

Wideman is the Flames’ most penalised player this season, having accumulated 30 penalty minutes throughout the campaign as part of 471 minutes during his career.