Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was suspended for one game on Friday for his hit in Thursday's game on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
Hagel's hit happened midway through the third period. He was assessed a five-minute major for interference, though not a game misconduct, on the play.
NHL Player Safety said in a video explanation that Barkov was never in possession of the puck, therefore he was not eligible to be checked.
"Long after the puck is gone, Hagel loads up and delivers a high, hard body check that makes some head contact on, bark off, this is interference.”
“While we understand Hagel’s argument that he is approaching the play as if Barkov will play the puck, the onus is on Hagel to ensure that the player he is hitting is eligible to be checked here. Barkov is not eligible to be hit, and Hagel still intentionally delivers an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent with sufficient force for supplemental discipline.”
Hagel was second in scoring for the Lightning during the regular season with 90 points. This is his first career suspension in 357 games.