Detroit Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist will receive an in-person hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnson. An in-person hearing means that Nyquist could—and probably would—receive a suspension lasting at least six games. Sportsnet’s John Shannon tweets that the hearing is set for Tuesday February 14th.
Nyquist dangerously high-sticked Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon during today’s game between the two teams (Yahoo Sports video link). Spurgeon received stitches but returned to finish the match. The optics on this play are bad—Spurgeon knocks Nyquist down into the boards during a battle for the puck, and Nyquist gets up and immediately raises his blade into Spurgeon’s face.
In-person hearings generally mean that the player will receive at least a six-game suspension. A phone hearing is reserved for suspensions less than six games, while in-person hearings can result in much longer sentences. As Chris Johnson points out, Nyquist would forfeit $26,388.89 per game of his suspension.
The suspension length will be affected by both Nyquist’s clean disciplinary history, and that Spurgeon did not suffer any serious injury. Nyquist has never been suspended before, which may lessen the punishment’s severity. Nevertheless, expect Nyquist to receive between 5-8 games because of the NHL’s focus on injuries to the head.
My bet is he gets 5-7 games. NHL seems to put far too much emphasis on the “first time offender” narrative. Their really should be set guidelines for suspensions instead of using an arbitrary process that more often than not, misses the mark.
The Department of Player Safety suspension process is almost inscrutable. Many thought Brad Marchand would get games for his slewfooting.
I think Spurgeon’s lack of serious injury weighs just as heavy as Nyquist’s clean sheet. I’d be very surprised if Nyquist received more than 7 games.
Agreed. Even though injury isn’t “supposed” to have any determining factor on suspension length. But we as fans are smart enough to know the truth.
Gotta balance the lack of a serious injury with what it very easily could have been.
Galchenyuk of the Canadiens did a two handed stick swing into Kevan Millers’ mouth tonight too, he should be right next to Nyquist at that meeting. No place for using the stick, drop the stick and use your fists.
Galchenyuk’s high-stick probably deserves a game or two, but I can see the League looking the other way because the infraction could be construed as him losing balance into the boards. The League has to balance over-regulating with protecting player safety, and there will always be a gray area when it comes to high sticking suspensions. They will probably stay with the double-minor and leave it at that.
galchenyuk stick was as much of an accident as marchand tripping people last two times. he probably only gets game or two. will say as marchand. I slipped not my fault. nyquist will get at least six games. he was not falling . he clearly plans what he did .
Is it just me or does this stuff seem to happen more often now that the punishment is no longer having your head torn off and inserted into your rectum by the big dude on the fourth line?
I actually think it’s the opposite. It might happen so infrequently that each incident is news. Back in the day stick infractions were commonplace. Look at what Borje Salming went through during his tenure with the Maple Leafs.