Breaking: NHL Player Safety makes a surprise decision on Nikita Zadorov's hit.

The National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety has made a surprising announcement.

Earlier today the disciplinary arm of the NHL announced that veteran Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov would face a hearing ahead of Game 7 for a high hit he delivered to Dallas Stars veteran forward Luke Glendening.

This appeared to be an indication that Zadorov was heading for a suspension in the all important 7th and final game of the opening round series between the Stars and the Flames, but in a stunning turn of events the league has spared Zadorov from a suspension. The league has released the following statement explaianing their decision:

After thoroughly reviewing all available video and following a telephone hearing today, the Department of Player Safety has determined that there will be no supplemental discipline assessed to Calgary’s Nikita Zadorov for his hit against Dallas’ Luke Glendening. While there was significant head contact on this play, Zadorov took a proper angle of approach, did not extend outward or upward, and hit through Glendening’s core. Therefore, under Rule 48.1 (i), the head contact was determined to be unavoidable.

As you can see Dallas Stars head coach Rick Bowness was furious that Zadorov wasn't punished more harshly for the hit when it happened in Game 6, and as a result I suspect the Stars aren't going to be very happy with today's decision. That being said Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter had expressed his displeasure with the hearing for Zadorov earlier today, considering some of the things that have happened over the course of this series, and as a result I suspect the Flames are going to be thrilled with both the decision and the fact that they will now have Zadorov in their lineup for Game 7.

It is worth noting that there was quite a sizeable difference in height between Zadorov and Glendening and that likely contributed a great deal to Glendening's head taking the brunt of the hit. I believe that the league likely weighed this as a significant factor in their decision, in spite of the fact that they did not mention it explicitly in their decision.