The Department of Player Safety has come to a decision on Alexander Edler following his phone hearing, issuing a two-game suspension to the Vancouver Canucks defenseman. Edler’s ban comes for a kneeing incident in last night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which resulted in an injury to Zach Hyman. As the accompanying video explains:
It is important to note that it is not the evasive move that causes unavoidable knee-on-knee contact through no fault of Edler’s. Edler approaches Hyman with a wide base, which is common as part of a natural hitting motion. When Hyman makes his move, Edler has the option to make a full adjustment of his entire body and attempt a full body check, or to maintain his current course and attempt to slow Hyman down in some other fashion. Instead, fatigued after a long shift, Edler only adjusts his right leg, turning his right foot outward to extend his leg further. While this movement is slight, it insures that leg on leg contact will occur and ultimately means that Edler drives his knee directly into the knee of Hyman with force.
Edler received a major penalty and game misconduct on the play but will have to sit out two games as well. The Maple Leafs have not yet issued an update on Hyman’s status.
Though it cannot be considered in this instance, this isn’t the first time Edler has received a suspension for kneeing. While playing at the 2013 World Championships for Sweden, he was kicked out of the tournament for a knee-on-knee hit against Canada’s Eric Staal. He has also been suspended twice in his NHL career, but not since the 2013-14 season.
Edler only just returned along with the rest of the Canucks from a weeks-long layoff thanks to a COVID outbreak. They’ll now have to navigate the next two games–tomorrow against the Maple Leafs and Thursday against Ottawa–without one of their key defenders and a player who logs heavy minutes on a regular basis.
tired player made a poor decision, seems reasonable. If Hyman missed any playoff games that would hurt them more than almost anyone else (Matthew’s, Marner, and Campbell excluded. maybe Brodie/muzzin )
Personally, I think it is a very bad decision regardless of the amount of games Hyman may or may not miss. He is a repeat offender regardless of where the incident happened and the NHL once again the situation poorly.
So you think an incident 8 years ago warrants repeat offender status?
Are you one of those Cancel culture advocates?
Next speeding ticket you get, if it’s a
few years later, I hope you get tried as a repeat offender and an inconvenient court date on a Tuesday at 10:00am
Get your vaccine.
My thoughts on this…. I think Tuesday at 10 am IS an inconvenient time….
Like seriously…what normal job isn’t already underway at 10am…
Its probably just easier to ask for the entire morning off and go in the afternoon and on a Tuesday none the less…..
its been one day and already a number of irrelevant comments on a post