IIHF issues ruling on Canada's Macklin Celebrini.
The International Ice Hockey Federation has issued a ruling following a controversial hit on Friday.
Hockey Canada has and the Canadian World Junior team have dodged a bullet.
On Friday, Canadian forward Macklin Celebrini found himself in hot water when he delivered a controversial hit to Switzerland's Leo Braillard, earning himself a game misconduct in the process. There were was no question that the hit was delivered from behind and with international rules being very strict about those types of hits, there was never any doubt that Celebrini would be tossed from the game.
What was in question however was whether or not the Canadian forward would be suspended for the IIIHF's World Junior Championship, a question that has now been answered.
According to a statement released by the IIHF on Saturday morning, Celebrini will not be suspended for his hit on Braillard which now leaves him eligible to participate in the remainder of the tournament. Here is the IIHF's statement in full, edited for clarification:
The 2024 IHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championship disciplinary panel has decided that no further supplementary discipline is necessary for the boarding incident that occurred at 32:55 in the 2nd period of the exhibition game between Canada and Switzerland.
In accordance with IIHF disciplinary code article 13.1.3, the 2024 HFCE Hockey World Junior Championship disciplinary panel must review all incidents potentially requiring supplementary discipline that occur in exhibition games in the seven days leading up to the 2024 IHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championships.
Upon reviewing the incident, the 2024 HF Ice Hockey World Junior Championship disciplinary panel determined that while the major and game misconduct penalty called on the ice against can: Macklin Celebrini for boarding was warranted, no further supplementary discipline is necessary.
The IIHF did not provide a detailed breakdown of their ruling but I suspect that the motivation for not suspending Celebrini here is a fairly obvious one. Although all hits from behind are frowned upon by the IIHF, there is simply no denying the fact that in this incident Braillard puts himself in the dangerous position to begin with. The Swiss player very clearly turns his back to Celebrini as he is coming for the hit, and does so after having full vision of Celebrini coming in to make a play on the puck. I believe that this was the determining factor in Celebrini avoiding a suspension.
