League sending an unfair message following latest suspension?

The story was huge on Saturday and kept having the same intensity on Monday as Florida Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson was suspended for two games by the NHL for slamming promising Vancouver Canucks rookie Elias Patterson to the ice on Saturday night.

The 19-year-old Canucks star sustained a concussion on the play. There is no timetable for his return to the lineup as Canucks coach Travis Green revealed on Monday. Pettersson opened his NHL career with five goals and three assists - including at least one point in each appearance - in his first five NHL games.

On Tuesday, Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos went on the air to discuss his stance on the suspension and the play itself. He was joined by John Shannon, who believes the NHL has sent a clear message with Matheson's suspension: the league is trying its best to protect young star players. 

"It is a comparable to how the National Football League now protects their quarterbacks. And you have to protect star players," explained Shannon on their air of Hockey Central. 

You can see the entire segment of the show in the video above. 

The host Jeff Marek wondered how the NHL's Players Association would react to "only the star players" getting protected, however, it seems like the focus might be more of the players of the future, which included the Canucks rookie. 

When Matheson was suspended, the Department of Player Safety cited Matheson for interference and unsportsmanlike conduct violations. This is Matheson’s first career suspension; as such the 24-year-old blue liner will forfeit $52,419.36 in salary. There was no penalty called on the play.

The sequence started off with Pettersson undressing Matheson with deft puck maneuvering and ended with the Canucks young star player being driven into the ice after an otherwise clean check along the boards.

You can see the hit here below: 

“Well after the puck has gone, and after his hitting motion has stopped, Matheson intentionally slammed Pettersson directly to the ice intentionally and dangerously,” the NHL’s explanation video revealed when published on Monday. 

Now it remains to be seen if the Canucks will feel the same way and go out and find a player that can protect their young star Pettersson with the hidden talent that he can beat people up.

What do you think?