Suspended San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres issued an apology to his team and to Jakob Silfverberg on Thursday for his illegal hit to the head on the Anaheim Ducks winger last week. 

"I accept the 41-game suspension handed down to me by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety," he said in a statement issued by the Sharks. "I worked extremely hard over the last two years following reconstructive knee surgery to resume my NHL career, and this is the last thing I wanted to happen. I am disappointed I have put myself in a position to be suspended again. 

"I sincerely apologize to Jakob for the hit that led to this suspension, and I’m extremely thankful that he wasn’t seriously injured as a result of the play. I also want to apologize to my Sharks teammates and the organization.”

The NHLPA said Wednesday that Torres will not contest the longest suspension in NHL history for a hit on another player.

It is the fifth and most significant suspension for Torres in his career. His previous longest ban had been a 21-game suspension — initially 25 games — for a high hit on Chicago's Marian Hossa in the first round of the playoffs in 2012 when he played for Arizona.

"The Sharks organization fully supports the NHL's supplementary discipline decision regarding Raffi," added Sharks GM Doug Wilson in a separate statement. "While we do not believe there was any malicious intent, this type of hit is unacceptable and has no place in our game. 

"There is a difference between playing hard and crossing the line and there is no doubt, in this instance, Raffi crossed that line. We're very thankful that Jakob was not seriously injured as a result of this play."

Torres was suspended for the final six games of the playoffs in 2013 with San Jose for a hit to the head against Los Angeles' Jarret Stoll. Torres was also suspended for two games in January 2012 and April 2011 for hits.