Report: Two sources indicate another suspension is on the way.

It sounds like the National Hockey League is moving to protect one of it's rookie sensations, albeit after the fact. 

Last night during a match up between the Vancouver Canucks and the Florida Panthers, 19 year old Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson was injured off the back of a questionable hit. Pettersson had just finished breaking the ankles of 24 year old Florida Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson with a dirty dangle in the offensive zone when Matheson came looking for revenge, revenge that he found in the form of a physical play along the boards. 

The hit from Matheson was, in my opinion, a clean one. He did not appear to take any liberties with Pettersson on the initial contact itself although it did look like he badly overpowered Pettersson on the play. As a result of Pettersson being out-muscled by Matheson he was taken off his feet as Matheson finished the check, but it was at that moment that Matheson, again in my opinion, crossed the line. With Pettersson off balance and already falling to the ice Matheson put all of his weight and power into driving the young forward hard into the ice, slamming him in a fashion that would expect in the WWE or the UFC, not in an NHL game. 

Even if you don't think the slam was dirty it unquestionably took liberties with the health of Pettersson and that much was obvious based on the end result of the play. Pettersson's head smacked hard on the ice as he was thrown to the ground and he was slow to get up following the impact. Pettersson would remain down on one knee for a long time and when he did eventually regain his feet he headed straight for the Canucks locker room and he did not return to the game. 

Fans in Vancouver were obviously upset that their young star had been injured and no penalty had been called on the play, but now the National Hockey League appears to be taking matters into their own hands. Patrick Johnson of the Vancouver Province was the first to report that the play would be review by the National Hockey League and now a second source has seemingly confirmed his information.

According to a report from TSN insider Darren Dreger the NHL's Department of Player Safety is in fact reviewing the slam, something that would indicate that a suspension is likely on the horizon for Matheson. Matheson does not have a history of dirty hits so that will likely play a factor, but you have to imagine that Pettersson's status as an emerging star in the NHL will also play a factor, and may in fact be why this hit is being looked at at all at this point. 

The initial body check itself would certainly not meet the standard of other hits that have led to suspensions in the NHL as of late, there was no head contact and it did not appear to be malicious, but the slam is another matter entirely. Pettersson's head clearly suffered as a result of the slam and given the NHL's current stance on head injuries I wouldn't be surprised to see Matheson get a game, or more, as a result. 

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