Brad Marchand ruins his celebration night with dirty elbow to the head

Tuesday night was meant to be a celebration for Brad Marchand as he played his 1,000th NHL game and the Florida Panthers offered him a beautiful tribute before the start of the matchup against the Montreal Canadiens.

But the spotlight quickly shifted for the wrong reasons.

In overtime against the Habs, Marchand delivered a dangerous elbow to the head of defenseman Mike Matheson. The hit has already drawn attention from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, and a suspension is possible.

Fans and analysts were quick to react on social media, sharing clips and debating whether Marchand’s play crossed the line. What should have been a milestone night for Marchand is now overshadowed by controversy, proving that even historic achievements can be clouded by a single moment on the ice.

Check out the controversial hit here:

Whether Marchand faces discipline or not, this play is certain to dominate the conversation in the coming days, especially when he was supposed to make the night special with the milestone, not by sitting in the penalty box when the Canadiens scored the game-winning goal…

UPDATE:

Despite widespread expectation that Brad Marchand would at least receive a hearing, the league has decided NOT to suspend the Florida Panthers forward for his elbow to the head of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson during overtime on Tuesday night. Not even a phone call.