Burnside: Upholding Dennis Wideman's ban challenges NHLPA to continue fight

playESPN Senior NHL Writer Craig Custance reacts to Gary Bettman's ruling to uphold Dennis Wideman's suspension for crushing unsuspecting linesman Don Henderson from behind. (2:34)It seemed to take an awfully long time for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to come to what seems to be a most logical conclusion: Dennis Wideman's 20-game suspension for crushing unsuspecting linesman Don Henderson from behind was in fact a just and fair punishment for an unusual act of violence against an official.

It will become a footnote in this curious tale that it took a full week from the time of the Calgary Flames defenseman's appeal hearing to the time a ruling was announced by the commissioner. What won't…