Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has been suspended three games for cross-checking Simon Despres of the Anaheim Ducks.
As the video explains, Landeskog raised his stick into Despres' head, knocking him to the ice.
In the league's eyes, the play was not a battle for the puck or an attempt to establish positioning, and was deemed to be a reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous cross-check.
Landeskog suspended 11/13/2015, counts as repeat if last 18 mths. Forfeited salary would be $89,861.74 had he not been a repeat offender.
— General Fanager (@generalfanager) March 10, 2016
Despres was not injured on the play, while Landeskog has been suspended in the past. Both factored into the ruling.
(Video courtesy: NHL.com)
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Jason Pominville hasn't missed a Minnesota Wild game in three years. That streak comes to an end Thursday.
Pominville's picked up a lower-body injury that will keep him out of the lineup against the Edmonton Oilers, the club announced, and end his consecutive games streak at 231, which is tied for the longest in club history.
Justin Fontaine will take Pominville's spot on the third line, with Erik Haula and Nino Niederreiter.
Pominville has 11 goals and 22 assists in 67 games. Consider him to day to day.
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NHL senior vice president Don Renzulli, the league's outdoor games czar, is quitting his post, according to TSN's Rick Westhead.
Renzulli's been with the league since 2007, and this year's Winter Classic between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens was the 16th outdoor game he's been the lead in organizing.
It's possible that Renzulli is leaving to go and work with former NHL COO John Collins, who left his job in November to head up On Location Experiences, a company "which markets unique fan access to events such as the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, and the NFL draft," writes Westhead.
One of Westhead's two sources on the story called Renzulli "Mr. Outdoor Games," and said "his loss is definitely a blow to the NHL."
The league announced another set of outdoor games Wednesday, headlined by the Centennial Classic in Toronto on Jan. 1 and the Winter Classic on Jan. 2.
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The Dallas Stars could be without defenseman Jason Demers well into the postseason, should they indeed advance that far.
Demers has been diagnosed with a shoulder injury that will be further evaluated in six weeks, according to Mark Stepneski of the team's official website.
With only a month remaining in the regular season, that means Demers could return late in the first round, at the earliest.
Demers has recorded seven goals and 16 assists in 61 games for Dallas this season.
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The Ottawa Senators have their eyes on a special outdoor game during the 2017-18 season.
To celebrate both the NHL's 100th anniversary and Canada's 150th birthday, the club wants to host the Montreal Canadiens in an outdoor game on Parliament Hill. And according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, the league hasn't ruled out the venue, despite the fact a temporary stadium would need to be erected to accommodate the event.
The easier option would be to have the game played at TD Place Stadium, site of the 2017 Grey Cup. But Senators owner Eugene Melnyk's preference is the Hill because of its unique backdrop, Garrioch adds.
"That would be really cool," Ottawa defenceman Cody Ceci said Thursday. "Being from Ottawa, it would be really cool to play in and see what they do with Parliament Hill putting the stands up. It'd be a pain to put them up and take them down but it'd be awesome to be a part of."
An announcement is not expected until after the regular season as the NHL continues to explore the possibility from all angles.
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Boston Bruins defenseman John-Michael Liles will not be disciplined for a hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.
Liles had a hearing after he caught Kucherov with a forearm/elbow at the Bruins blue line.
Kucherov visited the quiet room to be tested for a potential concussion, but returned to the game symptom-free. Liles wasn't penalized on the play.
Acquired at the trade deadline by Boston, Liles has two assists in five games with his new club.
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Brooks Laich went from first to last, from Stanley Cup contender to 1967, but he doesn't want anybody to feel sorry for him.
The veteran, a star in Washington during his time with the Capitals, spoke to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun and told him it's "a dream come true" to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Laich realized he was living out a childhood ambition when the 32-year-old from Saskatchewan stood on the blue line at the Air Canada Centre and heard "O Canada."
"I had obviously been in the building many times before but always as the opposition," Laich said earlier in the week. "This time playing for the home team, I mean, I used to watch 'Hockey Night In Canada' every Saturday like every kid in Canada. I wanted to play for the Leafs. I was a (Doug) Gilmour fan, a (Mats) Sundin fan. When we had the anthem and the Canadian flag was going down the one side in the crowd, the Maple Leafs flag was going down the other, and I was playing for the Leafs, people were rooting for me, that's when it really hit home. This was a dream come true. It really is. It's something very special.
"A lot of people might look at the situation that got me here and say, 'Oh, he's disappointed, he must be upset.' No, I look at it like a tremendous opportunity, I'm very fortunate to be here."
Laich understands the reality of his situation. His production's fallen off a cliff, and in order for Toronto to net a second-round draft pick and prospect Connor Carrick, it had to take Laich and his $4.5-million contract for the remainder of this season and next. But he's not looking at the trade - one he asked Capitals general manager Brian McLellan not to make - as the beginning of the end of his career. It's a reset.
"I'm trying to prove myself," Laich said, adding that he's taking it day by day in Toronto. He understands he's around to provide leadership and to mentor the William Nylanders, Nikita Soshnikovs, and Zach Hymans.
"My job first and foremost is to rebuild my career, play the way I can. Be an effective, everyday consistent player," Laich said. "And then when doing so, the other intangibles come naturally. I love teammates, I love the team atmosphere of hockey, I love the enthusiasm of young kids, I remember being there 10 years ago, being one myself. But all those things come after me first playing well. I have to play well in order to have my voice carry any weight in the locker room."
As for the Capitals, Laich said he hasn't "gone through the anger stage" regarding the trade, adding there's no guarantee the Capitals win the Stanley Cup, because nothing's guaranteed in sports, especially not in hockey.
"This is a new lease on my career here, a chance to rebuild my career. I had such a diminished role in Washington; it didn't look like there was a future there. Here I've got a chance to play and re-establish myself and further my career. That's something I'm really excited about."
Laich said he's watched the Capitals on TV since the trade, but doesn't know how easy it will be to root for Washington come the playoffs, even though he has a number of great friends on the team.
"I really wish my friends well, at the same time, it would be really hard to see. ... I really don't know how I'll feel if everything goes their way," Laich said.
You have to appreciate his honesty.
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Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has been suspended three games under the NHL's aggressor rule after an incident with Roman Polak of the San Jose Sharks, the league has announced.
As the video shows, Nurse received a minor penalty for roughing and a five-minute major for fighting Polak late in Tuesday's game in Edmonton.
In the league's view, Nurse's actions - which included eight punches - served as a "gross violation" of the aggressor rule as an attempt to inflict punishment on an unwilling participant or opponent in a defenseless position.
On top of that, the NHL believes Nurse's actions were in direct response to a hit levied by Polak on teammate Matt Hendricks earlier in the period.
This is Nurse's first NHL suspension.
(Video courtesy: NHL.com)
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