Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien has been fined $2,500 for slashing Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau.
The slash came in the closing minutes of Thursday’s game in Winnipeg. Byfuglien took a whack at Gaudeau at center ice as the Flames winger fired a shot into the empty net to seal a 4-1 victory.
Byfuglien was called for slashing by referees Ian Walsh and Tom Chmielewski. Gaudreau headed to the locker room to be checked out by the Flames’ medical staff.
NHL players’ fines cannot exceed one half of one day’s pay, based on the average value of the player’s salary divided by the number of days in the season. Fines are capped at a maximum of $10,000 for a first offense and $15,000 for a second offense within a rolling 12-month period.
Byfuglien’s AAV, per Cap Friendly, is $7.6M, making his daily salary $40,860. ($7.6M/186 days). His maximum fine would therefore be $20,430, but since that’s in excess of the set maximum, his fines would be capped at the $10,000 and $15,000 limits. Exceeding the $5,000 mark, though, would require a phone hearing.
From the CBA, section 18.7:
A fine may be in an amount up to fifty percent (50%) of the Player’s Paragraph 1 NHL Salary and Bonuses, but not including Performance Bonuses, divided by the number of days in the Regular Season, but in no event shall it exceed $10,000 for the first fine and $15,000 for any subsequent fine imposed in any rolling twelve (12) month calendar period.
Player Salary and Bonuses forfeited due to a fine will be calculated based on a Player’s Averaged Amount.
For fines of $5,000 or less the League shall, within seventy-two (72) hours of the completion of the game in which the incident took place, provide: (i) notice of the fine, (ii) an explanation of the fine, and (iii) written reports of on-ice officials and Officiating Managers (if any) to the fined Player, his Club and the NHLPA.
Fines in excess of $5,000 are subject to the telephonic hearing procedures afforded to Players subject to suspension of five (5) games or less.
Byfuglien was previously fined $5,000 for slashing Jay Beagle, then with the Washington Capitals, in February 2018. His last suspension was a four-game ban for cross-checking JT Miller in March 2015.
