On Wednesday morning the NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri four games for his hit to the head of Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Fraser.
Fraser was concussed by the hit, which occurred in the third period of the Oilers 4-1 win on Monday night.
Kadri is considered a repeat offender by the NHL, having one prior suspension in November of 2013 for a hit to the head of Minnesota Wild goaltender Nicklas Backstrom.
The four game suspension will cost the 24-year-old center $142,000, and Kadri will not be eligible to return until the Maple Leafs game on Saturday, March 28 when they host the Ottawa Senators. Kadri will not be appealing his suspension.
Kadri says injuring Fraser was completely unintentional. Hopes to talk to him about it and apologize.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) March 18, 2015
A former 7th overall pick in 2009, Kadri has 16 goals and 20 assists in 66 games this season, and is having his least productive full season in the NHL.
The suspension comes just weeks after Nazem Kadri served a three game suspension given by the team after he was late for a team meeting and showed up not ready to practice.
Leafs coach Peter Horachek hopes the suspension is a learning experience for Kadri. He told the Toronto Star, “It’s good for him, good lessons he’s going through. (Kadri is) facing some adversity and he’s dealing with it … and there’s the idea here that it makes him stronger, so he can tell the next person who comes along (this path) his experiences. That leadership is part of it. I don’t think he’s a dirty player, I think he needs to play with a hard edge and finish his checks. (Fraser) was in a vulnerable position, and these things happen.”
NEWARK, NJ – FEBRUARY 06: Nazem Kadri #43 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on February 6, 2015 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Maple Leafs 4-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
