The league announced today that Washington Capitals Defenceman Dmitry Orlov has been suspended for two games. With Dmitry Orlov suspended, the Caps will need to look for others to step up on the blueline. His suspension came for kneeing Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers during their matchup on January 18th.
Ehlers fell to the ice immediately after the hit and left the game with the assistance of a trainer. Originally, No penalty was called as it was deemed an on-ice collision. However, after being further reviewed, the league decided a suspension was needed.
Capitals Defenceman Dmitry Orlov Suspended
Washington’s Dmitry Orlov has been suspended for two games for Kneeing Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers. https://t.co/uAQe1uVhPO
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 19, 2022
A video from the NHL’s Department for Player Safety stated that Orlov had his leg positioned in a way that any last-second movement by Ehlers could not have turned it into a legal body check. However, Orlov will be eligible to play again on the 24th of January. He will also have to forfeit $51,000 of his salary because of this suspension.
Orlov has 19 points in 38 games this season. He also has 229 points in his 605 career games. This is his second-ever NHL suspension, getting a similar suspension in 2014 for boarding. Orlov is not considered a dirty player and these hits do not happen often.
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What This Means For Both Teams
Although this may not be as big of a loss for Washington as they only lose Orlov for two games, this is a significant blow for the Jets. They lose one of their top payers indefinitely, with no scheduled return date. Ehlers has 25 points in 34 games this year. Additionally, he has 328 points in 450 career NHL games. Jets coach Dave Lowry stated that he loses a “world-class player” and that he will “probably lose him for more than one game”.
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