NHL fines Leafs' Timmins for polarizing cross-check

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Conor Timmins will be looking a little bit lighter in the pocketbook today.

The NHL announced this morning that they’d fined Timmins $2,864.58 for his cross-check on Brandon Tanev during last night’s contest against the Seattle Kraken.

Toronto’s Conor Timmins has been fined $2,864.58, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Seattle’s Brandon Tanev.

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 22, 2024

Timmins was assessed a minor penalty on the play, which took place just 2:12 into the first period. Emotions were high pretty much from the opening puck drop, with Tanev clearly heated after the play, and starting a bit of a post-whistle brouhaha once he got to his feet.

Brandon Tanev was NOT pleased with Conor Timmins shoving him down near the boards. 😳 pic.twitter.com/9zggYw0Z7L

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 22, 2024

But it wasn’t just on the ice where the emotions were flying. And in classic NHL fashion, it appeared that no one was really happy with the overall outcome at all.

When NHL Player Safety announced the fine, opinions on the matter were divided, to say the least, with some claiming that Tanev fell on his own power.

Several Toronto fans pointed out how a cross-check by Josh Manson against Auston Matthews went uncalled in a game on January 13 against the Colorado Avalanche, while multiple Seattle fans pointed out how forward Yanni Gourde had been suspended two games for a hit last week on Edmonton’s Mattias Ekholm they didn’t quite think was worse than Timmins’.

Lead with his stick, Tanev lost his footing. Meanwhile, Matthews' hip was cross-checked through an Oblivion gate and nothing. https://t.co/Gas1PB9jq6

— Grunk the Drunk (@KitGloomy) January 22, 2024

George Parros when something could involve the Leafs https://t.co/IEJ6EMYPNC pic.twitter.com/bUcmioSlDL

— TheLeafs&JaysFan97 (@LeafsSince97) January 22, 2024

He fell on his own! pic.twitter.com/YtUx7W9Hn1

— Zay (@BestOfZay) January 22, 2024

😂🤣 of course this a fine, it’s the blue and white kind of fine 🙄🙄 #LeafsForever https://t.co/Tvec15j3Wt

— 🇨🇦Joe from the Bridge🇮🇹 (@joefromdabridge) January 22, 2024

yanni got suspended for three games for missing a check btw https://t.co/PxrXc6ovyQ

— emily 🙂 (@jarrysmask) January 22, 2024

And yet Yanni Gourde gets TWO games for a hit on someone who's half a foot taller… https://t.co/cFahlxGxc3

— Kraken Canada (@KrakenCanada) January 22, 2024

While Timmins did pick up the fine and the minor penalty, his Leafs squad also picked up the two points on the evening with a 3-1 win over Seattle. Matthews, Jake McCabe, and Nick Robertson all found the back of the net for the Leafs, while Ilya Samsonov made 16 of 17 stops to earn the win.

After a four-game trip across Western Canada and Seattle, the Leafs return to action back in Toronto on Wednesday night. They’ll be hosting Winnipeg at 7 pm Eastern on January 24, before visiting Manitoba on Saturday night for the return leg of a two-game set against the Jets.

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