The NHL department of player safety quickly ruled to suspend Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov for two games due to an illegal check to the head against Detroit forward Lucas Raymond, marking Zadorov’s first career suspension and resulting in a salary forfeiture of over $39K to the players’ emergency assistance fund.
Just a few hours after making the announcement, the NHL’s department of player safety has come down hard on Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov. They’ve decided to suspend him for two games. Why? Well, he delivered an illegal check to the head of Detroit forward Lucas Raymond.
This all went down early in the second period today. Zadorov ended up getting a match penalty for his actions. And here’s the kicker: the league’s video evidence showed that Zadorov’s hit was a textbook example of what not to do. It hit Raymond’s head first and foremost, and frankly, Zadorov could’ve avoided it altogether. The league thought it was a clear case of bad timing and poor judgment.
Now, with Vancouver gearing up for a game on Sunday, the league had to act fast. Zadorov’s going to sit out the next two games—one against Washington and the other versus Chicago. He won’t be back until Thursday, just in time for a rematch with Detroit. Talk about timing, huh?
Oh, and it’s worth mentioning—this is Zadorov’s first suspension. It’s going to cost him a bit over $39K, which goes straight to the players’ emergency assistance fund. Not exactly a small chunk of change, right?
