Watson will be suspended indefinitely without pay as he enters the second stage of the Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program, Adam Vingan of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

This suspension has been issued under the terms of a joint program regulated by the NHL and NHLPA. Watson faced a 27-game ban after pleading no contest to misdemeanor domestic assault charges in July of 2018, and the league ultimately reduced the length of that suspension to 18 games before he returned Nov. 15. According to Vingan, this latest development is "related exclusively to his ongoing issues with alcohol abuse."