We could have our first suspension of the regular season, as Evgeny Kuznetsov of the Washington Capitals will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety later today. The incident in question was a high stick on Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kyle Burroughs, as he got to his feet following a scoring chance.
As Kuznetsov drives across the net with the puck, Burroughs moves across the crease and collides with the Capitals forward. As they are getting up, Kuznetsov delivers a forceful, two-handed swing that appears to connect with the Canucks defender’s face.
Not only does the video evidence look bad, but Kuznetsov also has a history of supplementary discipline, including a fine for high-sticking just last season. His only suspension, back in 2019, was for off-ice conduct that will likely not be taken into account. Still, given he has two on-ice fines and was only given a minor penalty, a suspension, in this case, seems likely.
If I recall correctly, Gus Nyquist got 6 games for a somewhat similar infraction.