Paul Bissonnette, a former NHL player, was hospitalized following an altercation that broke out at a restaurant in Arizona over the weekend, where he was beaten by seven individuals, according to him.
In a video posted to X on Monday, Bissonnette, a former player for the Phoenix Coyotes who now works as a hockey pundit and podcaster, claimed that the altercation started at Houston’s, a Scottsdale eatery he often visits.
On Sunday night, he saw “a bit of a ruckus” going on in the bar as he was sat in the dining room.
“It was a bunch of drunk golfers. Things obviously continued to escalate,” Bissonnette stated. “They asked one guy to leave, and then one guy kept getting in the manager’s face, put his hands on him, and that went on for about probably 30, 45 seconds. And you could tell (the manager) was a little shocked and surprised and stunned.”
Then, according to Bissonnette, he moved to step in.
“So 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 gonna have problems.’ And then they just started chucking,” Bissonnette stated.
According to him, the altercation spread “extremely quickly” and he was attacked by seven individuals. The altercation spread from the eatery to the parking lot and then to a CVS in the area.
“Got taken down a couple times. I got boot f—ed in the head three times by the CVS, luckily didn’t get knocked out. Did go to the hospital,” he stated.
He claimed that although he was struck in the face a few times, it “could have been a lot worse.”
“Took some, gave more,” he further added. “I just want to thank, not only the staff for having to put up with that, but the police, who were very quick to get on the scene, who arrested six of the seven guys.”
Bissonnette was transferred to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries after the Scottsdale Police Department verified that the guys had attacked him both inside and outside the restaurant.
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According to police, the six guys who were taken into custody are charged with assault and disorderly conduct. The atmosphere was characterized by “bad dudes” who were “way too drunk,” according to Bissonnette.
“I’m very, very angry about these guys,” Bissonnette stated. “Just unacceptable behavior at a family restaurant, just because they couldn’t grab another cocktail and didn’t want to hear no for an answer.”
