Suspension coming? NHL looking at Zary hit that injured Pettersson in Canucks-Flames game
Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary may be forced to miss some time.
During last night’s game between the Flames and Vancouver Canucks, defenceman Elias Pettersson laid a huge but clean check on Nazem Kadri. In an effort to stick up for his teammate, Connor Zary exacted revenge on Pettersson, though his wound up being much dirtier.
Connor Zary will have a hearing with @NHLPlayerSafety on Thursday for roughing/elbowing against Elias Pettersson pic.twitter.com/XRQeGVcCwH
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 13, 2025
The Flames forward was assessed just a two-minute minor for interference at the time, though he may wind up facing a bigger punishment, with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety has announced that he will have a hearing later today.
Calgary’s Connor Zary will have a hearing today for elbowing/roughing against Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) March 13, 2025
Pettersson stayed in the game for a while after the hit but was ruled out with an upper-body injury during the second intermission. Canucks coach Rick Tocchet had no update on the 21-year-old following last night’s game, telling reporters that he was still being evaluated by medical staff.
This was an unexpected play from Zary, who isn’t known for being a reckless player. The 23-year-old, who just recently returned to the lineup after being on the wrong end of a somewhat reckless play himself, has not received any supplemental discipline throughout his 112-game career.
Given that there will indeed be a hearing, Flames fans should be prepared to see Zary handed a game or two suspension. Despite his lack of supplemental discipline to this point, last night’s hit made direct contact to the head of an unsuspecting Pettersson. The fact the young Canucks blue liner was ruled out of the game makes matters all the worse.
A decision on a potential suspension handed out to Zary will be announced later this afternoon. At the very least, Flames fans should prepare for him to be out of the lineup tomorrow night versus the Colorado Avalanche.