Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reports Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid won’t face additional punishment from NHL discipline czar Brendan Shananan after kneeing Ottawa’s Nick Foligno last night:
McQuaid received a five-minute kneeing major and a game misconduct on the play. Foligno left momentarily before returning to the game, finishing with 17:07 of ice time.
According to CSNNE.com’s Joe Haggerty, the NHL Department of Player Safety felt the knee-on-knee play was more “reactionary” than “with intent to injure” and didn’t deserve any additional discipline beyond the penalties called.
That said, here’s a list of “things people will likely complain about on the intertube":
-- Sounds like Foligno’s ability to return was a key factor in the ruling. This opens up a Pandora’s Box when it comes to injury disclosure, because when Colorado’s Kevin Porter got dinged four games for kneeing Vancouver’s David Booth, Shanahan remarked Booth’s injury (out 4-6 weeks with a sprained MCL) affected his decision.
-- Let’s say, for example, the Sens had held Foligno out of the game as a precautionary measure. What if the Sens didn’t offer an injury update afterward? How would that have affected the ruling?
-- This, from former NHL referee Kerry Fraser (courtesy TSN):
If Adam McQuaid had stuck out his elbow instead of his leg, recent suspension history would dictate that a three game suspension would most likely be imposed.
Ruling purely on the extent of the kneeing act (like the one committed by Adam McQuaid), with the absence of injury, I believe any player guilty of this should be suspended for a minimum of one game and a maximum of three (Three would make it consistent with dangerous hits ruled upon recently where no injury resulted).
-- McQuaid is the third Bruin to avoid suspension for a controversial hit this season. The others were Milan Lucic (for charging Ryan Miller), Brad Marchand (for slew-footing Matt Niskanen). I don’t put any credence in this conspiracy theory, nor do I support it. But I can’t ignore the fact it’s out there.
