QMJHL player suspended indefinitely for dangerous hit from behind

Ugly, ugly stuff out of Quebec this week.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 4 years ago
QMJHL player suspended indefinitely for dangerous hit from behind

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) has suspended Val-d’Or Foreurs forward Peyton Hoyt for a hit from behind on Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Kale MacCullum.

The hit took place behind the Sea Dogs goal with Hoyt on the forecheck. Hoyt accelerates hard through the neutral and attacking zones before gliding for a quick moment and lining up MacCullum for a bit hit. But… here’s where things get a little grey…

It’s clear that Hoyt is too aggressive on the play and has the hit lined up for far too long, there’s no question he should be assessed a charging penalty. But the hit from behind that occurs is the direct result of MacCullum turning away from the hit as soon as he picks up the puck.

Check it out:



Ugly stuff to be sure, but… MacCullum put himself in a really bad spot by turning away. This could have been much, much worse.

In any case, the league has suspended Hoyt indefinitely until a final decision is rendered. Read below for the full press release statement about this news, courtesy of the QMJHL’s official website:

Val-d’Or Foreurs forward Peyton Hoyt has been suspended indefinitely by the QMJHL’s Director of Player Safety, Éric Chouinard, for a hit from behind on Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman, Kale MacCullum. The incident occurred during yesterday's game between Saint John and Val-d’Or.
The disciplinary process will follow the existing protocol. The Director of Player Safety will collect the testimonies of the on-ice officials, the players and the members of both organizations. He will then analyze the facts and review the clips with the Disciplinary Sanctions Committee before making a final decision. No timetable has been set at this moment.
  The Director of Player Safety will not be available for comment during the process.