In an unexpected turn of events, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety has announced a phone hearing for Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer following his hit on Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary.
This decision means that Greer faces a suspension capped at five games. During the game, Greer was penalized with a two-minute minor for hooking, a five-minute major for interference, and a 10-minute game misconduct after hitting Zary from behind into the boards, well before any contact was anticipated.
This situation highlights the NHL DoPS's current approach to supplementary discipline, showing no signs of external pressure to alter their methods. This comes in the wake of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas receiving a five-game suspension for a knee-to-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, which ended Matthews' season. The incident sparked calls for stricter penalties to curb similar future occurrences.
In other Eastern Conference news, Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz was unexpectedly absent from his scheduled start due to an injury sustained during warm-ups. Stolarz was hit in the neck by a puck and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation. The team has yet to release further information regarding his condition.
Meanwhile, the New York Rangers have recalled goalie Dylan Garand, as veteran Jonathan Quick is dealing with a minor upper-body injury. Expectations are high for Garand, who is set to make his NHL debut while Quick recovers.