Former NHL Player Paul Bissonnette Hospitalized After He Was Allegedly Assaulted by 6 Men at Arizona Restaurant

11/26/2024 02:12 PM

Bissonnette said he is a regular at the family restaurant, and was defending the staff from drunk patrons

Former NHL player and analyst Paul Bissonnette was hospitalized after he was allegedly assaulted by multiple people at an Arizona restaurant.

Bissonnette, 39, was at Houston's restaurant in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Sunday, Nov. 24, when he witnessed "a bit of a ruckus going on in the bar," he said in a video posted to X a day later. He said he saw what appeared to be a group of drunk men who were asked to leave by the restaurant's staff.

When one of the men allegedly "put his hands on" the manager, Bissonnette said he intervened and grabbed the man.

"I said, 'Sir, if you continue to harass and assault the staff, we're gonna have problems," Bissonnette said in the video.

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

This prompted the man and the group he was with to get physical with him, he claims, adding that "it escalated extremely quickly." Bissonnette alleges that he fought with seven men between the restaurant and the parking lot, though police only arrested six as part of the incident.

Bissonnette said he was hit in the head and "got taken down a couple of times," but never lost consciousness. After retreating to the CVS next door, he was later taken to the hospital for his injuries, he said.

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The fight was between three and four minutes long, he said, but the events escalating inside the restaurant gave time for the police to show up.

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"There was an altercation inside the restaurant with six adult men and the management," Scottsdale Police Sgt. Allison Sempsis told Fox 10 Phoenix. "Reportedly, Paul Bissonnette tried to help management calm the men and get them to leave. The situation escalated to the men assaulting Paul Bissonnette both inside and outside of the restaurant."

In the video, Bissonnette showed the minor injuries to his face — a few scrapes and cuts on his cheeks — but insisted he was fine.

The former NHL player, who is part of the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, recounted the incident on the newest episode, which was released on Nov. 26.

Scottsdale police have not released the names of the men arrested.