Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman has been suspended three games for unsportsmanlike conduct.
After the final horn sounded in a Wild overtime loss, Hartman returned to the players’ bench, yelled at the officials, and threw his stick in the direction of referee Brandon Blandina. Hartman was given a misconduct penalty for ‘abusive language’.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety has followed that up with a three-game suspension.
Rule 39.6 requires that the officials document any instances of verbal abuse of officials:
It is the responsibility of all game officials and all club officials to send a confidential report to the Commissioner setting out the full details concerning the use of obscene gestures or language by any player, Coach or non-playing Club personnel. The Commissioner shall take such further disciplinary action as he shall deem appropriate.
Rule 40.4 calls for an automatic suspension for throwing a stick at an official:
Any player who, by his actions, physically demeans an official or physically threatens an official by (but not limited to) throwing a stick or any other piece of equipment or object at or in the general direction of an official, shooting the puck at or in the general direction of an official, spitting at or in the general direction of an official, or who deliberately applies physical force to an official solely for the purpose of getting free of such an official during or immediately following an altercation shall be suspended for not less than three (3) games.
The automatic ban only applies to situations where a game misconduct is issued for physical abuse of officials during the game. In Hartman’s case, he was only penalized for the verbal abuse. Player Safety, though, appears to have levied their suspension based on the same standard.
Good call.
Hartman forfeits $62,195.13 as a result of the suspension. He is eligible to return to the Minnesota lineup when the Wild facethe Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, April 7.
