NHL suspends Nazem Kadri 3 games for 'reckless' hit in Game 1

The NHL has come down hard on Toronto Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri.

Kadri, who hit Bruins winger Tommy Wingels while he was facing the boards and had already fallen to the ice, will receive a three-game suspension. It was a dangerous play involving an opponent’s head, which is something the NHL has tried to crack down on in recent years.

The suspension is the second one handed out already in the playoffs, as LA Kings defenceman Drew Doughty was given a one-game ban after a head shot in Game 1 of the Kings-Golden Knights series.

The league deemed that Kadri’s hit was reckless against a defenceless player and that he had sufficient time to alter his path.

Here’s the full explanation from the NHL’s department of player safety:

Toronto’s Nazem Kadri suspended three games for boarding Boston’s Tommy Wingels. https://t.co/YKyNt1Kcu0

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) April 13, 2018

Losing Kadri for three games is a crushing blow for the Leafs, who already trail 1-0 in the series.

Lines at Leafs practice

Komarov-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman-Marleau-Marner
JvR-Bozak-Brown
Johnsson-Plekanec-Brown
Martin, Moore

Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Polak
Leivo-Carrick

Andersen
McElhinney

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) April 13, 2018

See also