NHL Player Safety Punishes Leafs' Oliver Ekman-Larsson with Fine in Disciplinary Decision
Photo credit: USA Today sports
The NHL recently fined Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Maple Leafs for a dirty play he committed with Tampa Bay Lightning player Jake Guentzel.
For an interference penalty called on Tampa Bay's Jake Guentzel, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was fined $5,000, the highest amount permitted by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Ekman-Larsson unlawfully contacted Guentzel during the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning game, preventing him from participating in the play.
The Maple Leafs won 5-2 on Monday night, and the incident occurred just over five minutes into the third period. In the neutral zone, Ekman-Larsson was pursuing the puck when he noticed a Guentzel approaching. The former Pittsburgh Penguin was given a minor penalty for interference after the Swedish blueliner decided to throw a reverse hit.
In hockey, interference is defined as contact with an opponent who is not in possession of the puck that impedes the opponent's freedom of movement. After reviewing the play, the NHL Department of Player Safety determined that Ekman-Larsson's actions called for additional punishment. The fine was imposed as a result. He will continue to play in the upcoming games despite the fact that it is a huge penalty that does not include a suspension.
It demonstrates the league's genuine efforts to uphold fair play and prohibit players from making needless or hazardous physical contact with one another. The maximum fine allowed by the CBA for on-ice violations is $5,000, which is still relatively small in comparison to the monetary penalty imposed on the highly compensated NHL player. Instead, it serves as a warning and a threat for future infractions that could result in extended suspensions.
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