Leafs Oliver Ekman-Larsson receives bad news from NHL Player Safety: he will be fined
Leafs Oliver Ekman-Larsson was involved in a dirty play with Jake Guentzel of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he has just been fined by the NHL.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was assessed a fine of $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement for an interference penalty called on Tampa Bay's Jake Guentzel. During the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning, Ekman-Larsson illegally contacted Guentzel, interfering with his ability to compete in the play.
A penalty for interference in hockey is contact with an opponent who does not have possession of the puck, where such contact interferes with the opponent's ability to move freely. The NHL Department of Player Safety reviewed the play and felt Ekman-Larsson's actions warranted supplementary discipline. Thus, the fine was levied. Huge penalty, indeed, but no suspension is included in it; thus, he will continue playing in the forthcoming games.
It shows, for real, the league's attempt at maintaining fair play and removing dangerous or unnecessary physical contact between players. Considering that $5,000 is the maximum fine available through the CBA for on-ice infractions, it remains rather minor as compared with the financial penalty against the highly compensated NHL player and is seen as more of a warning and threat for future incidents that can lead to lengthy suspensions.
Fans will be paying close attention to when these two teams face off against each other again to see if any bad blood spills over.
MUST READ
