Player Safety continues to baffle fans with their decisions as Makar suspension far more lenient than Bunting suspension
As Toronto Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting has finished serving his 3-game suspension for his hit on Erik Cernak in Game 1 of their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar delivered a violent blow to the Seattle Kraken in Game 4 of their respective series. However, the punishments for each crime don't seem very balanced.
The reigning Conn Smythe and Norris Trophy winner was suspended for 1 game for his hit on Jared McCann in the first period last night. McCann was sprung on a shorthanded breakaway and as he fired a shot towards the goaltender - that was stopped - the puck went out of play before he was crunched into the boards by Makar who was trying to chase him down.
There was a solid 2-3 seconds between the time the puck went into the crowd and when Makar delivered the hit along the boards. After the shot, Makar pushed him a little, before finishing off the check where his head bounced off the glass. He may have gotten his shoulder first but the way he drove him into the boards, how his head hit the glass, and how he fell onto the ice afterwards was extremely dangerous.
The referees initially viewed it as a major penalty but then, after review, deemed it was just a minor penalty for boarding. McCann who paced the Kraken with 40 goals and 70 points this season did not return and has already been ruled out for Game 5.
There's been a lot of debating between the hit that Matthew Dumba laid out on Joe Pavelski in their first game and how that didn't receive a suspension but Bunting's hit received 3 games. Now that Makar was given 1 game, the debate will continue to rage on and on good authority.
Bunting wasn't really looking at Cernak when he hit him, whereas Makar not only looked, but it seemed like he deliberately shoved McCann into the boards with the puck out of play. Bunting deserved a suspension, because a hit like that is a textbook dirty hit, however 3 games in the playoffs was excessive, considering how they usually take the post-season factor into account.
Makar only received 1, Bunting received 3, Dumba got nothing.. at this point, it seems like the Department of Player Safety is just flipping a coin and deciding on a whim, with an extra "Maple Leafs tax". They even mentioned in their video:
"It is important to note that McCann is in no way eligible to be checked on this play."
"It is clear that Makar knows McCann is not in possession of the puck when he decides to deliver this hit."
Can someone please make it make sense?
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 25 | 339 ANSWERS Player Safety continues to baffle fans with their decisions as Makar suspension far more lenient than Bunting suspension Was Makar let off easy? | ||
| No, 1 game is about right | 44 | 13 % |
| Yes, he should have gotten 3 like Bunting did | 197 | 58.1 % |
| Bunting just got too many; Makar's is fine | 98 | 28.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
