New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba has been fined $5,000 for slashing St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn. The slash – well, multiple slashes – came after the final buzzer of a 5-2 Blues win on Saturday in St. Louis.
Trouba was given a major penalty for slashing and game misconduct by referees Kevin Pollock and Chris Lee. Dunn also picked up a two-minute minor for roughing.
“He just kept slashing me and slashing me and slashing me,” said Dunn. “The game was pretty much won and they were still running around, trying to hit us and fight us … I was just trying to skate around the net and he slashed me at least six times.”
While the Blueshirts’ blueliner never spent time in the box, the game misconduct can have a cumulative effect if Trouba finds himself on the wrong side of the law.
Per Rule 23.5:
In regular season League games, any player who incurs a total of two (2) game misconduct penalties for stick-related infractions in the “Stick Infractions Category”, before playing in 41 consecutive regular season League games without such penalty, shall be suspended automatically for the next regular season League game of his team.
For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.
This cumulative penalty applies to slashing, spearing, hooking, cross-checking, or butt-ending.
Trouba’s fine – the maximum permitted under the CBA without a hearing – goes to the NHL’s Player’s Emergency Assistance Fund.
