The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Chicago Blackhawks forward Drake Caggiula has been suspended for one game. The league stated that the hit on Edmonton Oilers forward, Tyler Ennis, was an illegal check to the head.
Chicago’s Drake Caggiula has been suspended for one Stanley Cup Qualifying game for an Illegal Check to the Head on Edmonton’s Tyler Ennis. https://t.co/5zjM2vf6ia
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) August 2, 2020
Drake Caggiula Suspended
Caggiula will miss game two of the qualifying round series against the Oilers. The hit came after Ennis had cleared the puck over the glass for a delay-of-game. The hit didn’t result in a penalty on Caggiula, however, there was a scrum between the two players after the whistle.
Caggiula had nine goals and six assists for 15 total points on the season. The former Oiler only dressed in 40 games due to a concussion and a hand-injury he sustained before the pause. The 26-year-old University of North Dakota product was acquired by the Blackhawks in exchange for Brandon Manning and Robin Norell. The Blackhawks also received defenceman Jason Garrison in the trade.
What This Means For The Future
Caggiula skated on the third line for Chicago in game one of their qualifying series with Edmonton on August 1. He didn’t pick up a point and skated over 11 minutes in the game. With him out of the lineup, there are a few players that could take his place. Most likely to be called upon is Dylan Sikura. Sikura is in a contract year and has yet to be a staple piece in the Blackhawks organization.
The 2018 Hobey Baker finalist scored his first NHL goal this season, despite skating in 38 games over the past two seasons. Another candidate for a temporary promotion is Brandon Hagel. Hagel impressed the coaching staff during phase three training camp enough to travel with the team into the bubble in Edmonton. Hagel played his first full season of professional hockey, notching 31 points with the Rockford IceHogs. He had the chance to play one game at the NHL level before the pause, making his debut the day before the pause on March 11.
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