Former Coyotes enforcer and current NHL analyst Paul Bissonnette was hospitalized after reportedly being assaulted by six men in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Sunday.
The incident occurred at Houston's, a Scottsdale-based restaurant. Scottsdale Police say that Bissonnette, one of the stars of TNT's NHL coverage, attempted to help defuse a confrontation between six men and management. He soon got swept away in the joust.
Bissonnette, 39, played six years in the NHL, five of which took place in Phoenix. Across 202 games, he tallied seven goals, 15 assists, and 340 penalty minutes.
Here's what you need to know.
What happened to Paul Bissonnette?
Around 10:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local time), Bissonnette attempted to ease tensions between the six men and Houston's management.
According to Scottsdale Police, things escalated, with the men allegedly assaulting Bissonnette inside and outside the restaurant.
The six men were arrested and charged with assault and disorderly conduct. Their names have yet to be released.
Bissonnette, meanwhile, was transported to a nearby hospital. The severity of his injuries is currently unknown, although police revealed they're not believed to be life-threatening.
Bissonnette took to X, the website formerly known as Twitter, to detail his experience.
"At one point, there was a bit of a ruckus going on in the bar," Bissonnette said. "One guy kept getting in the manager's face, put his hands on him.
"I went over, I just grabbed the guy's arm that was on him. I said 'Sir, if you continue to harass and assault the staff, we're going to have problems. And then they just started chucking."
Thanks for your calls & messages. Love you fuckers. Had a blast getting to record @spittinchiclets today and share some laughs with the gang. See you tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/5WOxkxARvx
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) November 26, 2024
Bissonnette said he took on seven men inside and outside the restaurant.
"I got boot f— in the head three times," Bissonnette added. "Luckily, didn't get knocked out.
The 'Spittin' Chiclets' podcast host urged his X followers to listen to Tuesday's episode, which features former Sportsnet host Jeff Marek and Stanley Cup-winning coach Bruce Boudreau. During the episode, Bissonnette got into more details about the incident that happened at Houstons, a place he said he frequents about "three-four times a week."
Bissonnette said that he was eating alone in the dining room, giving his order to the waitress when a commotion began in the bar side of the establishment. He said he viewed "about nine guys" getting into an argument with the manager and assistant manager, as they were upset that they could not get a drink without being seated, a policy that Bissonnette explained was common at the restaurant.
According to Bissonnette, one individual stuck his finger in the face of the manager and began backing him up against the bar. While those in the restaurant were watching, no one was taking action, so he said after about 15 seconds, he went up and confronted the harasser.
"I walk over, I grab the guy's arm, and I said, 'Listen, buddy, if you keep harassing and assaulting the staff here, we're going to go outside and have some problems,'" Bissonnette said. "The minute that left my mouth, the guy beside him starts throwing punches. The next thing I know, there were about four guys swinging at me.
"So we're in the middle of the bar area and I am just throwing. I am eating punches, I'm getting pushed against the bar, my shirt gets ripped off."
Bissonnette went on to say he tried to escape to outside the restaurant, attempting to avoid being cornered by the group. However, the group followed him out of the building into the parking lot and continued to attack him, as well as the assistant manager, who was thrown up against a car by the original attacker.
"I got to the guys coming at me and go, 'What are you doing? These people are good people, what the f— are you doing?" Bissonnette said. "They were seeing red and there was no stopping them and I kept fighting away."
The person who began the altercation sprinted towards Bissonnette, and the former hockey pro said he stunned him with a right hand. That punch sparked the tension once more, and the group went at him again. They were able to throw Bissonnette to the ground and kick him once in the neck and twice in the head before he got back up and ran into the CVS Pharmacy next door.
The police showed up shortly after and were able to arrest six of the individuals. Bissonnette said that the cops were going to pulling security footage from the restaurant and the other business nearby to assess all of what happened.
"I'll get their names, boys, and this is going to be a thing," Bissonnette said. "I'll go after every singe one of those f—s for going after this unbelievable staff. Maybe I felt more of a connection because I go to Houstons restaurant three to four times a week and these people are always so kind to me, that I felt the need to step in.
"... Maybe I bite off a little more than I could chew, but I wouldn't have changed one thing about what I ended up doing."
This article will be updated as more information becomes available
