New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith has been fined $2,864.58 for a ‘dangerous trip’ committed against Devin Shore of the Seattle Kraken.

Fresh off a two-game suspension, Smith once again found himself in the crosshairs of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. 

With just under nine minutes remaining in the third period with New Jersey leading 2-1, the Devils blueliner delivered an obvious slewfoot to Shore while pursuing the puck in the attacking zone.  As both players skated toward the end boards, Smith grabbed Shore’s shoulder and pulled him backwards while sticking out his left leg. 

Shore fell to the ice but was not injured on the play. Smith was given a minor penalty for tripping by referee Graham Skilliter, rather than a slewfoot call.

Tripping is covered in Rule 57:

A player shall not place the stick, knee, foot, arm, hand or elbow in such a manner that causes his opponent to trip or fall.  …  A minor penalty shall be imposed on any player who shall place his stick or any portion of his body in such a manner that it shall cause his opponent to trip and fall.

Fair enough, right?  What Smith actually did, though, falls under Rule 52:

Slew-footing is the act of a player using his leg or foot to knock or kick an opponent’s feet from under him, or pushes an opponent’s upper body backward with an arm or elbow, and at the same time with a forward motion of his leg, knocks or kicks the opponent’s feet from under him, causing him to fall violently to the ice.  

Any player who is guilty of slew-footing shall be assessed a match penalty.

The difference here is a two minute minor for the trip vs. a five minute penalty and mandatory ejection for a slewfoot.

NHL Player Safety, in their ruling, also went with the weaker call, fining Smith for a ‘dangerous trip’ rather than a slewfoot.  

Perhaps the officials and Player Safety deemed Shore’s fall as not ‘violent enough’ to justify the more severe call. Smith’s actions clearly fit the definition. He shouldn’t be off the hook just because his victim happened to avoid injury. 

 

Smith’s fine is the maximum permitted under the CBA, based on Smith’s salary, without a formal disciplinary hearing.  

The New Jersey Devils won the game 2-1. Referees were Wes McCauley (#4) and Graham Skilliter (#24), with linesmen Bevan Mills (#53) and Travis Gawryletz (#67).