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Ivan Barbashev Suspended For Game Six Of The Stanley Cup Final

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It may have been just one of a number of egregious missed calls in Game Five, but the NHL Department of Player Safety has decided a high hit that was not called a penalty on the ice is deserving of a one-game suspension. After a hearing with St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev this morning, Player Safety has announced that he will be suspended for Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final for an illegal check to the head of Boston Bruins counterpart Marcus Johansson. The league explained the decision as such:

As Johansson releases a shot on goal, Barbashev deliver a high, forceful hit that makes Johansson’s head the main point of contact on a hit where such head contact was avoidable. This is an illegal check to the head… The brunt of the impact of this hit is delivered by Barbashev’s shoulder into the head of Johansson… If Barbashev wishes to deliver this check, he must take an angle of approach that hits through Johansson’s near shoulder or core rather than an angle that picks Johansson’s head with his shoulder.

This is was just one of two missed high hits on Bruins players in the game, as defenseman Torey Krug also took a shot from forward Zach Sanford. That’s also not even including an obvious hold, again on Krug, and a blatant slew foot on Noel Acciari that lead to the Blues’ game-winning goal. Boston would likely trade this Barbashev suspension for a correct call in any of those situations.

This is also now the second suspension for the Blues in this series, as Barbashev’s fellow fourth-liner Oskar Sundqvist was suspended for Game Three after boarding Matt Grzelcyk, an incident that has since left the defenseman sidelined. While St. Louis has undoubtedly played a physical game in the city, one that has won them the war of attrition thus far against the Bruins, it’s not unfair that some fans feel they have been headhunting. However, the two suspensions are really more of an indictment on the officiating. Two suspendable offenses in this series have totaled just two minutes of on-ice penalties. Player Safety has had to step in to make the proper calls for them, even if just for the optics of appeasing frustrated fans – and the Bruins. There have certainly been missed calls against the Blues in the series as well, as their have for many teams throughout a postseason that has been difficult for NHL officials.

Snapshots: Marchand, Tippett, Ruck

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Boston Bruins agitator Brad Marchand was caught “punching” Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Scott Harrington in the back of the head as time expired on Game Three on Tuesday night. While unnecessary and unsportsmanlike, the NHL Department of Player Safety has decided that the otherwise innocuous play is not suspension-worthy. As The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline points out, there are no fines in the postseason, only suspensions, as players aren’t paid for playoff games and thus there is no mechanism for calculating fines. Even with Marchand’s track record, it would have been hard to imagine a postseason suspension for the incident as well. Commissioner Gary Bettman opined that Marchand should have received a penalty on the play, but given the timing of the incident and the result holding, it would not have made a difference. One might expect the Blue Jackets to thus police the situation themselves through the rest of the series, but Portzline believes that no retaliation is coming after speaking with several players. While Marchand is capable of getting fans riled up better than anyone in the league, it seems this issues could be over as soon as it began.

  • There have been rumors for some time that Dave Tippett has been itching to get back behind an NHL bench, despite his current adviser position with the Seattle expansion team, and he is now officially taking steps toward such a move. Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman writes that Tippett has interviewed for the Buffalo Sabres head coaching vacancy, as some speculated he might. Tippett now joins Jacques Martin and less established options like Rikard Gronberg and Sheldon Keefe among Buffalo’s top options, according to Friedman. Tippett, who has nearly 20 year of NHL coaching experience, held both the head coach and VP of Hockey Operations positions with the Arizona Coyotes when he was last in the league in 2016-17 and would still be a great option for the Sabres even after a few years off.
  • After losing starting keeper Cayden Primeau to the pros after a remarkable year, Northeastern University was hoping that graduate goaltender Ryan Ruck may stay with the program to help bridge the gap. That won’t happen, as Colorado College announced today that they have received a commitment from Ruck to join the program as a graduate transfer. Although he played in only six games last season for the Huskies, Ruck was nearly unstoppable, posting a .956 save percentage and 1.01 GAA. Those numbers should give Ruck the leg up on the starter competition at Colorado College, who lost this year’s starter Alex Leclerc to the pros. Meanwhile, Northeastern will likely have to lean on true freshman Connor Murphy in net next season.

Snapshots: Kings, Checkers, Hornqvist

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In 2017-18, the Los Angeles Kings finished with 98 points, were a playoff team and had both a Norris Trophy and Hart Trophy finalist (and Selke winner) on their roster. Dustin Brown had found his edge again and recorded a 60-point season, while Jonathan Quick took home the Jennings Trophy as the goaltender for the team with the lowest goals against average in the NHL. Then, it all came crashing down. The club finished 30th in the NHL in 2018-19, fired their coach and traded away several assets. Things looked grim.

As Todd McLellan comes in to try and turn the team around, he spoke with Mark Spector of Sportsnet and was clear that it won’t be a quick process. The Kings aren’t expecting to be back competing for the Stanley Cup next season, and are just “at the beginning of the process.” The question now becomes what happens with the other veteran assets on Los Angeles, as names like Brown, Quick, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter aren’t getting any younger. If “it’s not going to be an overnight thing” as McLellan says, where does that leave the aging stars?

  • The Charlotte Checkers will be without two key defenders for their next game, as both Trevor Carrick and Bobby Sanguinetti have been given suspensions. While Sanguinetti will serve just a single game for a check to the head, Carrick is out for three games after leaving the bench to join an on-ice altercation. The Checkers are tied 1-1 in their first-round series against the Providence Bruins, and will need to find a way to win without two of their veteran blue liners.
  • Patric Hornqvist will suit up for Sweden at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, continuing his season after a disappointing exit with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hornqvist joins a squad that needed some help up front, and could very well find himself skating beside rookie sensation Elias Pettersson. The 32-year old winger won a gold medal with Sweden last year, scoring two goals in five games. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that teammate Marcus Pettersson will be an alternate for the Swedish squad.

Joe Thornton Receives One-Game Suspension

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The Sharks will be without center Joe Thornton for Game Four of their first-round series against Vegas after the Department of Player Safety announced (video link) that he has been given a one-game suspension for an illegal check to the head on Golden Knights forward Tomas Nosek.

The incident occurred in the second period on Sunday night when Thornton caught Nosek’s head with his shoulder after Nosek had made a pass.  Despite receiving a two-minute minor for an illegal check to the head on the play, Thornton told reporters postgame, including Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, that he didn’t think it warranted any supplemental discipline:

I honestly thought I barely touched him.  He just came right back; it was just one of those plays that it is what it is. I think my son hits me like that six times a day, it’s just a weird position to put himself in. That’s all.

Losing the 39-year-old is a big blow for San Jose, who is down 2-1 in the series.  Thornton has picked up a point in each of the three games thus far and sits tied for third on the Sharks in scoring in the series.  He will be eligible to return for Game Five on Thursday night.

NHLPA Files Suspension Appeal On Behalf Of Slava Voynov

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As expected, the NHL Players’ Association will appeal the suspension of defenseman Slava Voynov that was handed down by the NHL on Tuesday. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun was the first to report than an appeal has been filed and the case will be heard by a neutral arbitrator. A date for the hearing has not yet been announced.

Voynov, 29, was suspended for the entire 2019-20 season and 2020 postseason by the league yesterday for “unacceptable off-ice conduct”, with a conditional date of reinstatement set for July 1st, 2020. Voynov received a lifetime ban from the NHL in 2014 following an incidence of domestic violence and subsequent arrest and conviction, shortly after which he fled to his native Russia. However, the league’s recent decision at least opens the door to a return for the talented blue liner, who spent three years playing abroad in the KHL and sat out the 2018-19 season while awaiting a decision on his NHL reinstatement.

Yet, the league’s leniency was not enough in the eyes of Voynov and the NHLPA. It took only 24 hours for this appeal to be filed as the player’s side tries to shorten the suspension. The NHLPA has had great luck of late in front of an arbitrator; both Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson and Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson had highly-publicized long-term suspensions reduced by arbitrator Shyam Das this season. If Das is to again be the one to hear the case, the odds of a reduction are in Voynov’s favor. While the NHLPA does not necessarily condone the actions of Voynov or any other disciplined players, they have a duty to fight for the players’ rights.

The appeal was also likely supported by the Los Angeles Kings, who still own Voynov’s NHL rights. Whether or not the Western Conference’s last-place teams wants to bring the veteran defender back or instead trade him away, a quicker reinstatement is of value to the Kings. The team has still declined to comment publicly on Voynov’s reinstatement, but have no doubt talked with the player, league, and players’ association throughout this process.

Jack Eichel Receives Two-Game Suspension

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For the second time today, the Department of Player Safety has handed down a two-game suspension.  This time, it’s Sabres center Jack Eichel who has been suspended for an illegal check to the head on Saturday against Colorado center Carl Soderberg.

As a result, he will miss Buffalo’s upcoming games on Tuesday against Dallas and Thursday versus Pittsburgh.  Eichel will be able to return on Saturday against Carolina.

This is the first time in his career that he has been suspended which is particularly notable from a financial perspective.  He will forfeit a little over $107K to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund which represents 2/186 of his $10MM AAV.  Had he been a repeat offender, the fraction would have changed to 2/82 which would have resulted in a forfeiture of just under $244K.

Philadelphia’s Jakub Voracek Suspended Two Games For Interference

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The Department of Player Safety announced that they have suspended Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek two games for interference on New York Islanders forward Johnny Boychuk. Both Jack Eichel and Voracek were informed this morning that they would receive a hearing for their hits, but the DoPS started with Voracek, whose team plays on Monday, while Buffalo doesn’t play again until Tuesday.

Voracek back-checked a streaking Boychuk in the third period of Saturday’s game (video here), although some feel that Boychuk was making a run at Voracek and not the puck. However, the Department of Player Safety didn’t see it that way as they handed him a two-game suspension for it. Boychuk is currently undergoing concussion protocol and is questionable for Monday’s game against Columbus.

The 29-year-old Voracek will miss the next two games, including Monday’s game against Ottawa as well as Thursday’s home game against division-leading Washington. CapFriendly reports that since Voracek isn’t a repeat defender, his two-game suspension will cost him $88,709.68 in salary.

 

Radko Gudas To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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Not only is Nikita Kucherov continuing his incredible offensive season, but now he’s drawing suspensions too. Radko Gudas will have a hearing today with the Department of Player Safety after high-sticking Kucherov in last night’s Philadelphia Flyers-Tampa Bay Lightning game. With Kucherov’s back turned and the puck already on its way out of the zone, Gudas brought his stick down hard on top of the Lightning forward’s head. Gudas did receive a minor penalty on the play.

This is not the first time that Gudas has faced supplementary discipline, in fact far from it. The Flyers defenseman has been suspended three times in his career, most recently for a similar play against Winnipeg forward Mathieu Perreault. In that instance, Gudas was given a ten-game suspension for what was admittedly a more violent slash to the head. Still, the fact that he has a long history with the Department of Player Safety will certainly not work in his favor this time around.

Kucherov appeared to not suffer an injury on the play, but the league will be sure to protect their leading scorer and potential Hart Trophy winner. The Lightning forward has 99 points already and snapped a five-game multi-point streak against the Flyers. It’s been an outstanding year for the entire Tampa Bay organization, but Kucherov especially has been at another level than the rest of his NHL competition.

Paul Byron Suspended Three Games

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The Department of Player Safety has decided that Paul Byron’s hit on MacKenzie Weegar was deserving of a suspension, and have issued a three-game ban to the Montreal Canadiens forward. The accompanying video explains exactly why the league felt three games was the appropriate punishment:

It is important to note that this is not a case where a player comes off the ice after contact due to the force of the hit. This is also not a case where slightly as part of a natural hitting motion when delivering a full-body hit into a larger player. Byron launches himself excessively upwards, coming off the ice to deliver the hit and in the process makes significant and forceful head contact. While we recognize that Weegar is turning as he makes a play on the puck, the onus is on Byron not to elevate excessively and launch into the hit.

Byron, not known by any standard as being a dirty player in the league, has released his own statement on the incident.

I accept and respect the decision made by the Department of Player Safety. I would like to make it clear I had no intention of causing injury or finishing my check through MacKenzie Weeger’s (sic) head. I think my history and the way I conduct myself on the ice show a lack of intent to injure other players. Despite the lack of intention, I have to accept responsibility for my hit and realize the result of the hit was to the head and caused injury. I would like to sincerely apologize for my hit and wish MacKenzie all the best and hope he is okay. I’ve learnt a lesson through this and will make sure any future hits result in a clean and legal fashion.

Though first-time offenders rarely get three games, the league also took into account that Weegar suffered an injury on the play. That will force Byron to sit out for a week, missing games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and Arizona Coyotes. Unfortunately, that takes the Canadiens right up to the All-Star break and CBA mandated bye week, meaning he won’t actually be able to suit up for the team until February 2nd.

San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson Suspended Two Games

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The Department of Player Safety announced that they have suspended San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson two games for an illegal check to the head Saturday against Los Angeles Kings forward Austin Wagner. Karlsson is expected to miss two Pacific Division contests, including tonight’s game against Arizona and then a Dec. 27 game against the Anaheim Ducks. Karlsson will be eligible to return on Dec. 29 in Edmonton.

It’s a blow for San Jose, who have seen an uptick in production from their big offseason acquisition. Karlsson has scored 11 points over the past 10 games (all assists). The incident occurred 2:33 into the second period when Karlsson checked Wagner in the neutral zone with his shoulder that appeared to hit Wagner’s head. Karlsson admitted Saturday that it was an accident.

“It’s one of those plays, I’m closing (the) gap, and he skates into me,” he said. “I don’t really even lean into him. I’m in his lane, and just shoulder-to-shoulder hit. Unfortunately he went down hard and he didn’t come back, and I hope he’s OK, but at the end of the day it’s a hockey play.”

Karlsson has never been suspended in his career and was fined just once for a slash in 2012. Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement and based on his annual average salary, Karlsson will forfeit $69,892.48, which will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

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