The Colorado Avalanche are losing another player up front, although this time it won’t be for an injury. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced they have suspended Avalanche rookie forward Matthew Stienburg for two games for charging Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Černák in last night’s contest. Shortly after the suspension was issued, the Avalanche announced they had reassigned Stienburg to their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.
The news came roughly seven hours after the Department of Player Safety shared that Stienburg was scheduled for a hearing regarding the incident. The discipline served by the Department of Player Safety is in addition to the on-ice referees giving Stienburg a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.
In the video shared by the Department of Player Safety, the contributing factor to the suspension was that Stienburg turned his back on the hit and lifted himself off the ice causing the focal point of the hit to be Černák’s head. They also noted that Stienburg’s NHL experience of eight games played a part in the length of the suspension.
He’s been one of Colorado’s most physical players since being recalled from AHL Colorado on October 16th. He’s seventh on the team in hits with 16 despite only being 16th in games played with eight. Consequently, thanks to the illegal hit on Černák yesterday evening, he now sits first on the team in PIMs with 22. According to Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette, Stienburg must wait to serve his suspension until he’s recalled back to the NHL.
The biggest implication of this suspension and subsequent demotion is that the Avalanche only have 10 healthy forwards and an upcoming game on Saturday against the Nashville Predators. Gabriel Landeskog, Artturi Lehkonen, Valeri Nichushkin, Ross Colton, and Jonathan Drouin are all on the shelf for one reason or another, and Colorado will now have to pull from their organizational depth even further with Stienburg being sent down.
Matt Steinburg throughout the game was trying to board & charge Lightning players. Hence why Lilliberg then later Cirelli & Hagel all jumped him at different points. Dude was trying to be another Matt Rempe or something, I guess. Steinburg better hope he doesn’t see Cernak in the next game with TBL because I assure you Cernak will lay a bulldozer of a hit on him next time he sees him.
@FeeltheThunder — I was listening to Dave on the interweb radio call. He was hot, and rightfully so. They next meet on Nov. 25th, but don’t be surprised if Stienburg gets sent down to the AHL. If the Bolts can dismantle them again, they can call it “The Post-Thanksgiving Massacre of 2024”.
Steinburg has been sent down to the AHL. If Colorado brings him back up, he will have to serve the 2 game suspension he was handed by the NHL. If Colorado was smart they won’t bring that kid back until after they face Tampa at the end of the month. If he’s on the ice against Tampa, it’s not going to be a fun game for him.
maybe i’m a bad hockey fan, but i’ve never heard of this guy before this
@numberoneslayerfan — He spends most of his time in the AHL. Not sure if he’s really worthy, either. He appears to be bent on being another guy who doesn’t just play to the edge, but goes full-on Clark Griswold through the barricades into the ground. BTW, you’re not a bad hockey fan.
One of Colorado’s replacements.
thank you i try my hardest, i watch a lot of hockey content online and try to watch a lot of games, hockey is my favorite sport after all
Like father, like son!