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Brandon Hagel Receives One-Game Suspension

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Down 2-0 in their opening-round series to Florida, the Lightning will be without one of their top wingers for Saturday’s game as the league announced late Friday that Brandon Hagel received a one-game suspension for his hit on Aleksander Barkov on Thursday.

The incident occurred just before the midway mark of the third period with Hagel receiving a major penalty for interference on the play but not a game misconduct.  Barkov left the game and did not return; head coach Paul Maurice revealed Friday that the center hasn’t been ruled out or in for tonight’s contest.

In the video explaining the decision, the Department of Player Safety noted that supplemental discipline was warranted because Barkov was never in possession of the puck and therefore was not eligible to be checked.  After the puck was well past the players, Hagel delivered “a high, hard body check that makes some head contact.”

Hagel made the case that he approached the play as if Barkov would eventually play the puck as it came to him, but the ruling stated that “the onus is on Hagel to ensure that the player he is hitting is eligible to be checked” and that he intentionally delivered “an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent with sufficient force.”

This is Hagel’s first career suspension in 375 regular-season and 36 playoff games. However, it’s not his first supplemental discipline for a playoff incident against the Panthers as he was fined for boarding Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen back in May 2022.

Atlantic Notes: Lindholm, Roy, McCabe, Ekman-Larsson, Puljujärvi

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Bruins center Elias Lindholm dealt with a back injury throughout his first season in Boston, he revealed to reporters at today’s exit meetings (via Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub). He sustained it in August, and it’s what caused him to miss most of training camp before playing all 82 games for the Bruins. It should offer some explanation for his continued offensive struggles, posting 17-30–47 for a 0.57 points per game rate after signing a massive seven-year, $54.25MM deal with Boston in free agency. This year marked Lindholm’s second straight campaign with less than 20 goals after he potted 42 for the Flames in 2021-22. He remains one of the league’s better faceoff-takers with a 55.2% win rate on nearly 1,400 draws, but that alone doesn’t justify his $7.75MM cap hit without increased offensive production. Boston will hope for a rebound next year to aid in their retooling.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Canadiens prospect Joshua Roy won’t be on their playoff roster, at least to start. The team announced that they’ve sent him to AHL Laval, which is on the verge of clinching the AHL’s regular-season title and is set to begin a playoff run themselves. The 21-year-old winger had been on Montreal’s roster since March 10 but was a healthy scratch in their final 11 games as they successfully chased a wild-card berth. A 2021 fifth-round pick, Roy ends his second NHL season with just two goals and a minus-six rating in 12 appearances. He’s been a continued first-line threat in Laval, where he scored 20-15–35 in 46 games before his most recent call-up.
  • The Maple Leafs expect defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jake McCabe to be available for Game 1 of their first-round series against the Senators on Sunday, head coach Craig Berube said today (via David Alter of The Hockey News). Neither will dress in tonight’s season finale against the Red Wings. OEL will end up missing the final four games of the season with an upper-body injury, while McCabe will miss a seventh straight game with an undisclosed injury. Both have been invaluable pieces of Toronto’s blue line in 2024-25, averaging north of 21 minutes per game with some of the best two-way metrics on the team.
  • Panthers winger Jesse Puljujärvi was sent to AHL Charlotte yesterday ahead of the playoffs, but he won’t be available immediately if Florida decides to recall him during the postseason. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced they’ve suspended him for two games for an illegal check to the head of Lightning winger Mitchell Chaffee in Tuesday night’s game. It’s the first supplemental discipline of Puljujärvi’s eight-year career.

Flames’ Connor Zary Suspended Two Games

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Flames forward Connor Zary has been suspended two games for elbowing Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson in last night’s game, the league’s Department of Player Safety announced.

In their video statement, DoPS described the incident as follows:

Wednesday night in Calgary, Flames forward Connor Zary was penalized for extending his elbow to deliver a late, high retaliatory hit against Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson. As the video shows, the Flames skate the puck through the neutral zone with Pettersson defending and Zary on the rush in support. The puck is flipped towards the net and Pettersson finishes a clean, hard check on a Flames player. Then, after the hit and disregarding the rest of the play, Zary tracks Pettersson, raises his elbow and forearm, and elevates upward into a check, striking Pettersson with the extended arm and making significant contact with Pettersson’s head. This is elbowing.

Regarding their rationale for supplemental discipline:

It is important to note that this is not a case where a player’s sudden movements cause a hitter to reflexively extend an elbow in a way that turns a legal hit into an illegal one. On this play, Zary sees a teammate take a hard but legal check and responds intentionally in retribution by delivering a hit with his extended elbow that makes significant head contact and is delivered with reckless force for supplemental discipline. 

Zary has never been fined or suspended before, something the league undoubtedly took into consideration during his hearing this morning. The 23-year-old, whom Calgary selected in the first round in 2020, is in just his second NHL season with 112 career games under his belt.

After finishing eighth in Calder Trophy voting last season, Zary has cemented himself as an important middle-six contributor for the Flames. He ranks sixth on the team among qualified skaters in points per game (0.49) and has averaged nearly 16 minutes per game, including regular second-unit power play deployment. His absence, plus injury concerns surrounding captain Mikael Backlund after he left last night’s game, will likely force Calgary to recall a forward from the AHL before tomorrow’s game against the Avalanche. If Backlund is out, they’d be able to recall someone under emergency conditions and not use their second of four post-deadline standard recalls. They already burned one on Adam Klapka this week.

That’s tough news for a Flames squad that already lost some ground in the wild-card race by dropping last night’s contest to their chief competitors for the spot in a shootout. They’re tied with the Canucks at 71 points but have a game in hand, so they remain in playoff position for now. The Blues and Utah are each two points back of Calgary as well, but like Vancouver, have played one more game than the Flames.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

NHL Suspends Aaron Ekblad 20 Games For Performance Enhancing Substances

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Panthers star defenseman Aaron Ekblad will miss the remainder of the regular season and first two games of the postseason after being suspended 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program, the league announced today. The suspension is without pay is accompanied by “mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment.”

Suspensions for PEDs are quite rare in the NHL, but based on previous precedent, the length is to be expected. Nate Schmidt, now Ekblad’s teammate in Florida, was the most recent player to be suspended under the program while he was with the Golden Knights in training camp in 2018. He was also handed out a 20-game ban to begin the regular season, during which time he inked a six-year extension with Vegas.

Ekblad is just the sixth player to be suspended for PEDs since the 2012 lockout. Unlike in Schmidt’s case, where he testified he “could not have received any performance enhancement benefit from the trace amount that inadvertently got into my system,” Ekblad will not appeal the suspension and released the following statement (via Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman):

The news that I had failed a random drug test was a shock. Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel. I have let my teammates, the Panthers organization and our great fans down. For that, I am truly sorry. I have accepted responsibility for my mistake and will be fully prepared to return to my team when my suspension is over. I have learned a hard lesson and cannot wait to be back with my teammates.

The 29-year-old will not carry a cap hit for the remainder of the regular season, PuckPedia confirms, although that’s somewhat moot with the trade deadline now in the rearview. He ends his regular season on a six-game point streak (seven assists, plus-three rating) and has 3-30–33 in 56 games on the year, a raucous return to form for the veteran. He’d seen his point totals drop steadily in the past few years as his power-play opportunities dwindled, bottoming out with a career-low 18 points in 51 games last year before Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup. He’s reclaimed top power-play minutes this year after Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Montour left in free agency, though, and his performance (and ice time) have benefitted as a result.

His top-pairing minutes alongside Gustav Forsling will now presumably go to fresh trade pickup Seth Jones down the stretch. The Cats still have plenty of meaningful games remaining as they try to battle out the Maple Leafs and Lightning for the Atlantic Division title and secure home ice through the first two rounds of the playoffs, simultaneously avoiding having to play both powerhouses in Tampa Bay in Toronto in back-to-back rounds as they attempt to gain a third consecutive Eastern Conference Final berth. Jones, who’s averaged 21 minutes per game since the trade while quarterbacking the Panthers’ second power-play unit, is still looking for his first point in a Florida uniform.

It’s worth noting Ekblad, the Panthers’ franchise leader in games played among defensemen, may have ended his regular-season tenure in South Florida on a sour note. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent and could head elsewhere on the open market in July.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Ryan Hartman To Appeal Ten-Game Suspension

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Wild forward Ryan Hartman had until today to decide if he’d file an appeal of the ten-game suspension handed down by the league on Monday.  He has elected to do so as the NHLPA announced (Twitter link) that they have filed an appeal on Hartman’s behalf today.

The incident occurred on Saturday versus Ottawa.  Off a faceoff, Hartman drove Tim Stutzle face-first into the ice.  He received a match penalty on the play and after being offered an in-person hearing, was given the ten-game ban, the fifth suspension of his career.  As a result, he forfeits more than $487K in salary as he qualifies under the repeat offender (meaning he’s fined ten games’ play, not ten days’ pay).

Hartman will remain under suspension during the appeal process.  While it often takes longer than the duration of the appeal for it to be heard (meaning the appeal is primarily an attempt to recover some of the lost wages), that might not be the case for Hartman.  With the NHL heading for a break next week due to the 4 Nations Face-Off, it’s quite possible the appeal will be heard during that time when he’ll have only missed three of the ten games.

This appeal will be heard by Commissioner Gary Bettman whose role will be to determine whether the decision was supported by clear and convincing evidence.  If Hartman’s suspension is upheld or is reduced but remains six games or longer, Hartman can further appeal to a neutral arbitrator who would then have the final say.

Rangers’ Matt Rempe Suspended Eight Games

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Rangers winger Matt Rempe has been assessed an eight-game suspension by the league’s Department of Player Safety for a boarding/elbowing infraction against Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen, the league announced.

Rempe laid the hit on Heiskanen (explained further here) in the third period of Friday’s 3-1 win. He was ejected on the play, the fourth time he’s faced such discipline in his 22-game NHL career. He was also assessed a two-minute minor for elbowing on the play, as well as an additional roughing minor in the aftermath. Unsurprisingly, after being suspended four games for a similar infraction against Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in March last season, he was offered an in-person hearing, which gives DoPS the option of suspending him for six games or more.

Rempe already missed today’s loss to the Hurricanes, so he has seven more games to serve. He’s considered a repeat offender under Player Safety guidelines and will forfeit $80K in salary during his suspension, relays Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic. He’ll still count against the active roster and the team’s salary cap during that time, reducing the Rangers’ flexibility for an extended period. He can appeal the suspension to league commissioner Gary Bettman, so it’s possible he might be back earlier than Jan. 9 against the Devils if he’s successful.

The incident was one of many controversial ones in Rempe’s young career. The 22-year-old, who the Blueshirts selected 165th overall in the 2020 draft, has accumulated 95 PIMs in just 22 appearances over the last two seasons while averaging 5:46 of ice time per game. The wealth of time spent in the dressing room or in the penalty box has limited his effectiveness offensively and put the Rangers in more shorthanded situations than they’d like, although it’s also worth noting he’s drawn the most penalties per 60 minutes of any Ranger over the last two seasons.

The 6’8″, 240-lb winger has spent most of this season on assignment to AHL Hartford, where he has three goals, two assists and 22 PIMs in 18 showings with a -3 rating. His game against Dallas was only his fifth NHL appearance of the season.

In the meantime, Rempe’s absence will secure more ice time for developing depth options like Brett Berard and Adam Edstrom. They still have veteran Jonny Brodzinski on hand as an extra forward to enter the lineup if necessary as well.

Colorado’s Matthew Stienburg Suspended Two Games, Reassigned

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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.

Lightning’s Conor Geekie Suspended One Game

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2:51 p.m.: Geekie has been suspended for one preseason game, the league announced. He’ll be eligible to play on opening night if he makes the team.

9:05 a.m.: If Lightning prospect Conor Geekie cracks the opening night roster, he may still have to wait to make his NHL debut. The pivot is facing a suspension today for violating league Rule 70.2, which prohibits leaving the bench “on a legal line change for the purpose of starting an altercation,” the Department of Player Safety announced.

Midway through the second period of last night’s overtime loss to the Panthers, Geekie started a shift and immediately laid a hit on and subsequently fought Florida forward prospect Josh Davies. Geekie wasn’t tossed from the game, but he was given a total of 19 PIMs on the play – a 10-minute instigator misconduct, a fighting major, an instigator minor, and a cross-checking minor.

The altercation shortly followed a hit that Davies laid on Lightning captain Victor Hedman that violated no league roles and wasn’t penalized, although it did immediately draw the ire of Tampa star Nikita Kucherov, who attempted to drag Davies down to the ice during play immediately following the hit (video via Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times).

As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman points out, Geekie isn’t facing the automatic 10-game suspension levied for leaving the bench to join an active fight. Previous suspensions for violations of Rule 70.2 range from one to two games. The Lightning have two preseason games left on their schedule, so Geekie may be back for the season opener, although the league may up the suspension slightly to compensate for the much weaker punishment of being barred from exhibition play.

Geekie, 20, was the 11th overall pick in the 2022 draft by the Coyotes. After his entry-level contract was transferred to Utah, they traded him to the Bolts in this offseason’s Mikhail Sergachev blockbuster. He lit up the WHL last year for 99 points in just 55 games split between the Wenatchee Wild and Swift Current Broncos.

Kaiden Guhle Receives One-Game Suspension

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The ruling is in for Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle.  After slashing Flyers winger Travis Konecny from the bench during their game yesterday, the Department of Player Safety announced (video link) that Guhle has received a one-game suspension.

The 22-year-old slashed Konecny in retaliation for a hit he threw on winger Juraj Slafkovsky seconds earlier in the dying seconds of the second period.  However, any contact with a player on the ice from the bench is prohibited.  In the ruling video, it’s noted that any contact that typically occurs from the bench can be handled with a penalty on the play or a fine.  However, Guhle’s actions rose above that, resulting in the one-game ban.

It’s the first supplementary discipline of any kind for Guhle who will forfeit just under $4.5K in salary based on his $863.3K AAV.  The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.  He will now miss their game against Carolina on Saturday which should allow Johnathan Kovacevic to return to the lineup.  Guhle will be eligible to return for Montreal’s contest versus Florida on Tuesday.

John Tortorella Suspended For Two Games

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The NHL has suspended Flyers head coach John Tortorella for two games and fined him $50K for unprofessional conduct directed at the officials during last night’s 7-0 loss to the Lightning.

Tortorella was assessed a bench minor and a game misconduct for abuse of officials at 10:49 of the first period after Lightning center Brayden Point scored a power-play goal to increase Tampa’s lead to 4-0 early in the game. Broadcast video captured Tortorella on the bench continuing to fight with officials after the misconduct was assessed, appearing to say, “I’m not f****** leaving” multiple times to referee Wes McCauley (video link via Bally Sports Sun).

The Flyers have publicly supported Tortorella since last night’s ejection, with team governor Dan Hilferty pledging to cover his fine if one was assessed. Flyers assistant Brad Shaw told reporters this morning that Tortorella was simply expressing dissatisfaction with the calls and not going so far as to threaten the on-ice officials, while captain Sean Couturier claimed his head coach “didn’t say much” (via Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports).

Philadelphia’s grip on third place in the Metropolitan Division has slipped to only four points ahead of the Islanders, who have three games in hand on the Flyers. They’ll now be without their Jack Adams candidate for a two-game homestand against the Sharks and Maple Leafs as they try to keep pace in the playoff race.

The Fourth Period’s Anthony Di Marco first reported the suspension; Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first with the fine amount.

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