Player Safety appears to make decision on whether or not Leafs winger will be suspended
For those who may have missed it, last night, a Leafs winger had committed to a hit on Hawks defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, which resulted in the ex-Leaf having his head drilled into the boards while falling. Here's the hit in question.
It was obvious to most watching the game that while the hit was deliberate, the head contact was entirely accidental. Gregor had committed to finishing his check before Zaitsev had toe-picked and fallen forward. Nevertheless, Gregor answered the bell and fought Connor Murphy as a way of paying the toll for the hit.
Some had suggested that the hit might make Gregor susceptible to some supplemental discipline on Tuesday, whether that be by way of a fine or a suspension. However, it doesn't appear as though the Department of Player Safety intends to get involved here.
Typically, with hits to the head that are deemed intentional, a player is offered a hearing within a certain amount of time - usually in the 12-16 hour range from the time the incident had occurred. Given the fact that we have yet to hear from Player Safety, it appears as though they have reviewed the play and have determined that the hit was not intentional and does not warrant any supplemental discipline.
Gregor has not been suspended in his young career, so it would stand to reason that he'll get the benefit of the doubt here. As a result, Gregor will be eligible to play in the Leafs' next game against the Florida Panthers on Thursday evening.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 17 | 139 ANSWERS Player Safety appears to make decision on whether or not Leafs winger will be suspended Do you think Noah Gregor deserved a suspension for his hit on Nikita Zaitsev? | ||
| Yes | 4 | 2.9 % |
| No | 129 | 92.8 % |
| Hard to say | 6 | 4.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
