Boston Bruins: Hit on Matt Grzelcyk draws one game suspension

Oskar Sundqvist drew the ire of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety with his hit on Matt Grzelcyk in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues.

Sundqvist, whilst only adjudged a two-minute minor on the play had a hearing with the Department of Player Safety yesterday resulting in a one-game suspension being handed down. The official word from the Boston Bruins on Matt Grzelcyk suggests he’ll be missing for Game 3.

Right now, they’re terming it ‘on protocol’ and listing it as a day-to-day injury for Matt Grzelcyk.

On the official NHL website, the Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy states he won’t be travelling with the team to St. Louis, at least in the short term:

“When we have a further update, we’ll give it to you,” Cassidy said during his daily press conference on Thursday morning at Warrior Ice Arena. “We’re gonna list him as day to day. It’s Thursday, we don’t play until Saturday. Typically, I’ll give out the lineup either Friday or Saturday. Right now, that’s the best I’ve got for you. We’ll see where it goes from there…he won’t travel with us today. – Bruce Cassidy (NHL.com)

You’d have to say given these facts that it’s probably a fair decision to give the St. Louis Blues player a suspension of sorts. One game is the right call realistically, if you’re making that call.

With any luck, it means Oskar Sundqvist misses the exact same amount of games that Matt Grzelcyk does, though we’re not holding high hopes there. The fact that the Boston Bruins used the term ‘on protocol’ certainly points towards a concussion, which is never an overnight recovery.

Right now, one mistimed Sudqvist hit could spell the end of Matt Grzelcyk’s season, at a time when he would be a very valuable part of the Boston Bruins blue-line.

St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube waxed lyrical about the now-suspended Sundqvist, speaking about him on the official NHL website:

“[Sundqvist] has always been a very good defensive player, a penalty killer for us, a hard-working guy,” Berube said. “But his offensive side has really come through this year. He scored quite a few goals during the regular season and he’s gotten four in the playoffs here. … He’s playing a real good 200-foot game and we’ve kind of used him in all different situations.” – Craig Berube (NHL.com)

It’s clear that they’ll miss him, especially if they continue their parade to the penalty box and the Boston Bruins can shake out of their slump and find their elite power play form once more.

All in all, the suspension is fair and matches a lot of similar calls made during this Stanley Cup playoffs. The league isn’t seeking to remove contact, but it is seeking to protect it’s players whether the hits are 100% intentional or not. It’s not a bad thing, in that respect.

Hopefully we get another chance to see Matt Grzelcyk in a Boston Bruins jersey, out on the ice with his teammates this post-season. Whether that’s during game-time or (hopefully) for celebration time, we don’t mind!