The NHL has decided that Ryan Reaves from the Toronto Maple Leafs needs to explain his hit on Darnell Nurse during their 4-3 overtime victory against the Edmonton Oilers.
Reaves got into trouble after his shoulder collided with Nurse’s head, causing a major cut and leaving Nurse dazed on the ice. The hit happened in the second period, and Nurse had to leave the game while Reaves was sent off after an argument with Connor McDavid.
Player Safety and Past Incidents:
Now, the league faces a tricky choice about Reaves’ actions since it seems like a blindside hit. The Department of Player Safety is thinking about suspending him for an illegal check to the head. This isn’t Reaves’ first time in hot water; he’s been suspended before during his career. Back in 2021, he missed two games for roughing while playing for Vegas Golden Knights, and in 2020, he sat out one game for hitting Tyler Motte of Vancouver Canucks illegally. In 2016, he was also benched three games for boarding.
Fans might wonder if this hearing will lead to another suspension or just a warning .
Meanwhile, Nurse’s condition is still unknown as he’s dealing with an upper-body injury. However, Elliotte Friedman from Sportsnet shared that Jack Michaels heard Nurse joking around with trainers post-game and walking fine, which sounds promising.
What do you think about all this? Should Reaves face more consequences?
