Breaking: NHL Player Safety Department punishes Thornton for “vicious” slash

The NHL Player Safety Department is taking no prisoners as of late, fining yet another player for a malicious play on Saturday night.

San Jose’s Joe Thornton fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for slashing Tampa Bay’s Tyler Johnson.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 3, 2017

Joe Thornton was caught slashing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Johnson on Saturday, and has received the maximum allowable fine under CBA rules.

There's unfortunately no video replay of the incident, but we do have fan reactions after the play in question.

Joe Thornton high sticking on Tyler Johnson?! That's not fair. Jumbos like 3 feet taller lol
— Andrew Bensch ? (@ViewFromBensch) December 3, 2017

Thornton was mixing it up with Tyler Johnson, who is about 8 inches shorter than Jumbo, so the high stick was magnified by Johnson's lack of altitude.
— LetsGoSharks.com (@LetsGoSharks) December 3, 2017

The general fan reaction is that of confusion. The play, in most fans' opinions, seemed like a normal slash - again, we don't have video evidence, and that should be an indicator of how insignificant the slash must've been. If it was actually a dangerous play, it would've been somewhere on social media.

Luckily, Thornton's most recent contract allows him to handle this HEFTY fine of $5,000...