UPDATE: NHL Player Safety has initiated a hearing with Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy for his hit last night on Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Check it out:
And here's the hit in question:
What's most interesting to me is that McAvoy was not offered an 'in-person' hearing for the hit, which usually indicates that a lengthy suspension is not on the table. If NHL Player Safety deems that a suspension for 5+ games is a worthy punishment, then players will be offered a hearing at the league's head offices in New York. Virtual hearings however, usually indicate that a smaller suspension or even a fine is the likely end result.
McAvoy has been suspended once before in his NHL career. You may recall that he was handed a one-game suspension during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs for a hit on then-Columbus forward Josh Anderson.
Personally, I think McAvoy earns himself at least two games as a result of his hit on Ekman-Larsson. To me it's a textbook late hit away from the puck and McAvoy clearly targets the head/chin of his opponent. The fact that the hit happens in open ice makes it that much more devastating. If the hit were to occur alongside the boards, it might have minimized the impact somewhat but in open ice, McAvoy's entire force is delivered to Ekman-Larsson's chin.
Read below for our earlier report on this developing story, from yesterday evening.
We could be on the verge of getting our very first NHL suspension of the season due to an incident that took place on the ice.
Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was ejected from tonight's game at TD Garden against the visiting Florida Panthers after he absolutely trucked Florida's Oliver Ekman-Larsson with a completely unnecessary blindside hit.
McAvoy would be issued a match penalty and tossed from the game.
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