Arizona Coyotes forward Josh Archibald has been suspended for an illegal check to Nashville Predators Ryan Hartman. The hit occurred during the second period of Thursday’s game.

Coyotes Josh Archibald suspended

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Archibald has been suspended for two games. The suspension will also cost him a total of $7,258, based on the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. The money goes to the Players Emergency Assistance Fund.

Arizona’s Josh Archibald has been suspended for two games for an illegal check to the head on Nashville’s Ryan Hartman. https://t.co/48MLmKYadq

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) November 16, 2018

The incident occurred during the second period of the Coyotes 2-1 win against the Predators. Hartman was passing the puck away from the boards when Archibald went for the hit.  He connected with a shoulder to Hartman’s face near the blue line. The Preds forward went down hard, but ultimately returned to the game. Archibald received a two-minute minor penalty as a result.

The Department of Player Safety reviewed the hit and concluded that the main point of contact was Hartman’s head. They determined that this contact was avoidable. It was noted that Hartman’s head did not change positions during the final seconds before the connection.

What this means for the future

This suspension is the first of Archibald’s  NHL career. The forward dressed for Thursday’s game after Dylan Strome was listed as a healthy scratch. Strome will likely be inserted back into the lineup during Archibald’s absence.

So far this season, Archibald played in nine games and has not scored a point. This penalty was his first of the season. He has a minus-1 rating while averaging 11:33 minutes of ice time.

Over his five year NHL career, Archibald has played for the Arizona Coyotes and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has put up eight goals and six assists for 14 career points in 62 career games. The Penguins initially selected him in the sixth round, 174th overall, during the 2011 NHL draft.

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