James Wisniewski, Niklas Hjalmarsson Receive 2-Game Suspensions

by Adam Gretz

Filed under: Blackhawks, Islanders, Rangers, Sabres, NHL Discipline

As expected, the NHL was busy on Tuesday handing out punishment for two very different actions during Monday's slate of games. The league suspended New York Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski two games for his lewd gesture directed at Sean Avery, while also issuing the exact same punishment to Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson for the hit that resulted in Buffalo's Jason Pominville leaving the game on a stretcher with a concussion.

The fact both players received the exact same punishment in terms of games lost will surely have its share of critics. After all, Wisniewski's gesture, while ridiculous and surely offensive to somebody, didn't result in anybody getting injured or have the potential to injure. It was certainly worthy of discipline, but is it really the same as hitting somebody from behind while they're not possessing the puck?

In the world of NHL discipline, it appears so.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Cody Almond Joakim Andersson Artem Anisimov Nik Antropov