Nick Foligno facing suspension after knocking out Bellemare with an elbow.

This will probably go down as the least controversial suspension of the entire 2019 - 2020 National Hockey League regular season when it is finally announced. 

According to an official announcement from the NHL's Department of Player Safety, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno will have a hearing at some point tomorrow for the rather ugly looking elbow he threw on Colorado Avalanche forward Pierre Edouard Bellemare on Saturday night. The news will come as no surprise to anyone who saw the play last night, including Foligno himself who has since admitted that it was a vicious and entirely unnecessary incident. 

For those who missed it, Foligno effectively knocked Bellemare out cold on Saturday night when he drilled him the point of his elbow, striking Bellemare directly in the head. The contact was sickening and it caused Bellemare's head to twist from the impact, something that was only made worse by the fall. Bellemare was entirely unable to protect himself on his way down to the ice and as a result smack the back of his head on the ice col playing surface, this on top of the elbow he had already received at the hands of Foligno. To Foligno's credit, although I'm not so sure how much credit you want to give Foligno for such a dirty play, he has since taken full responsibility for his actions, and even described his own hit in very unfavorable terms.

From Blue Jackets insider Aaron Portzline:

Nick Foligno said he’s more worried about health of Bellmare than any possible suspension from the NHL. Saw the hit on replay and it made him “sick to his stomach.” Said he’s already gotten word from Colorado dressing room that Bellemare will be OK.

That of course will provide little comfort to the Avalanche and their fans and no doubt it will also do very little to diminish the anger that those fans are currently directing at Foligno. The Blue Jackets captain has owned his mistake but that also will do very little to impact the suspension that is almost assuredly coming his way as a result of this incident, and I would not be surprised if this costs Foligno several games this season.