NHL Player Safety makes a surprise decision on Gabriel Landeskog’s hit

There was a sense that Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog could get a call from the Department of Player Safety for his high hit on Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto in Game 2.

However, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that Landeskog is not expected to face discipline as he won’t get a hearing.

Yamamoto was forced to leave the game and did not return due to an upper-body injury after he was hit high by the Avs’s captain in the second period of his team’s 4-0 loss in Game 2. Landeskog was not penalized on the play.

“(Department of Player Safety) looks at everything, but I doubt Landeskog’s hit on Yamamoto invites discipline,” Dreger wrote on Twitter. “Landeskog appears to go through Yamamoto’s shoulder which makes the head contact unavoidable. Size difference also a factor here, but it’s easy to understand why the Oilers would be upset.”

After the loss, Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft thought the league would look at the hit, adding Yamamoto was in a “vulnerable position” prior to the contact.

Yamamoto has posted two goals and seven points in 13 playoff games and has collected one assist in two games in the Western Conference Final so far. He had 8:28 of ice time with one penalty before leavingThursday’s contest.

As for Landeskog, he tallied one assist in Game 2, bringing his playoff totals to seven goals and 14 points in 12 games.

We understand how the Oilers will be upset with the decision, especially if Yamamoto is forced to miss Game 3 in Edmonton on Saturday night.