NHL Players Safety lays the hammer down on ex-Boston Bruin Garnet Hathaway
NHL Players Safety has punished former Boston Bruins forward Garnet Hathaway after elbowing Joel Eriksson Ek.
The NHL's Department of Player Safety has addressed a controversial hit from Saturday night that quickly sparked debate online.
On Sunday morning, the league announced that Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway has been fined $5,000-the maximum amount allowed under the collective bargaining agreement-for elbowing Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek in the head and face.
After the game, many fans voiced frustration on social media, accusing Hathaway of repeatedly going after Eriksson Ek's already broken nose. Minnesota Wild reporter Mike Russo also pointed out a separate moment late in the game where it appeared Hathaway might have intentionally targeted Eriksson Ek's injured nose again.
Eriksson Ek was seen complaining to NHL referee Chris Rooney during the game, but the officials didn't see it as serious at the time. However, the league's follow-up discipline suggests they felt Eriksson Ek's concerns had some merit, leading to the fine against Hathaway.
While $5,000 isn't a major hit to Hathaway's bank account, it does mean he'll be considered a repeat offender by Player Safety if any future incidents occur.
These two teams are set to face off again in December, and it's likely that tensions from this weekend's game will carry over into their next meeting.
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