The NHL laid down the hammer on Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman, a repeat offender.
The NHL Department of Player Safety came down hard on Ryan Hartman on Monday night, two days after he came down hard on Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle.
The league announced that Hartman has been suspended for 10 games after using his forearm and body weight to smash Stutzle's face into the ice – a play it described as "inherently dangerous and unacceptable."
Hartman stood at the end of the bench on Saturday, smiling in disbelief, as the refs announced he'd been kicked out of the game. In his meeting with the league, Hartman claimed he was attempting to use his hand to regain his balance using Stutzle for support and that their fall to the ice was accidental.
"We disagree," an NHL player safety spokesman said in the suspension video.
"As the puck is being dropped, Hartman immediately takes his right hand off his stick. With Stutzle leaning forward in an attempt to win the face off, Hartman takes his free hand, puts his forearm on the back of Stutze's head and uses his body weight to intentionally drive Stutzle downward, slamming him, face first, into the ice. This is roughing. It is important to note that this is not a hockey play."
Yeah, no kidding.
The league's player safety team has clearly had it with Hartman, who's now had four suspensions since April of 2023. His repeat offender status is a factor in why the suspension is as long as it is.
"Hartman has played 663 NHL games in his career. He has been fined seven times and suspended four times previously in that time, meaning that he has been assessed supplementary discipline roughly every 60 games."
Hartman also paid a competitive and social price. His head coach and teammates can't be happy with him after he put himself ahead of the team. His penalty cost the Wild the game on Sunday as the Sens scored three times during his five minute major to put things fully out of reach.
The team and the league are obviously hoping a ten game suspension and the loss of almost $488,000 in salary will change the behaviour.
But if history is any guide, this probably won’t be his last run-in with the league.