On Wednesday the NHL announced that Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky has been suspended for two games as a result of a body check he delivered on Detroit Red Wings player Matt Luff on Tuesday.
After the game, which ended in a shootout win for the Habs, Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said Luff was “seriously injured” on the hit, telling reporters “we won’t be seeing (Luff) anytime soon, unfortunately.”
Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovsky has been suspended for two games for Boarding Detroit’s Matt Luff. https://t.co/Cv4NjYqWhf
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) November 9, 2022
According to the NHL Department of Player Safety’s video explanation, “Slafkovsky finishes the check, driving Luff dangerously into the wall.” According to the league, “this is boarding.”
“From the time he crosses the blue line Slafkovsky is looking at Luff’s numbers,” says the department, adding that “the onus is on Slafkovsky to deliver this check in a legal fashion, minimize the force of the contact, or avoid the hit entirely.”
The term of the two-game suspension was based on the following three factors: Slafkovsky was issued a five-minute major and game misconduct, the 18-year-old has no previous history of suspensions, and Matt Luff was injured on the play.
Follow Channels and Categories