Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier was ejected from Tuesday night’s game against the Florida Panthers after delivering a between-the-legs slash to Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis, earning a major penalty and game misconduct that now goes to the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for review.

Olivier was assessed the slashing major at 13:44 of the second period. After a battle along the boards, Olivier lifted his stick up between Balinskis’ legs, sending the Panthers defenseman to the ice. Balinskis remained down briefly before leaving the ice; he took some time to compose himself and was eventually able to return to the game. 

Neither referee’s arm shot up at the slash – but this is one of those situations where the lineys can assist. Under Rule 32.4:

The Linesperson shall give to the Referees his interpretation of any incident that may have taken place during the game.

The Linesperson must report upon completion of play, any circumstances pertaining to … major penalties

After a quick on-ice huddle, the officials called a major penalty. Referees Mike Sullivan and Furman South reviewed the infraction on video and confirmed the call, which included the game misconduct that ended Olivier’s night, per Rule 61:

A major penalty, at the discretion of the Referee based on the severity of the contact, shall be imposed on a player who slashes an opponent. When injury occurs, a major penalty must be assessed under this rule. … Whenever a major penalty is assessed for slashing, a game misconduct penalty must also be imposed.

Dmitri Voronkov served the major, and Carter Verhaeghe scored on the ensuing power play.

Olivier’s History

Olivier has never been suspended by the NHL. He was ejected twice last season on major penalties: an elbowing major on October 24, 2025 and a boarding major on November 8, 2025. Neither play drew supplemental discipline.

That clean record works in his favor. So does Balinskis avoiding injury.  Nevertheless, Player Safety has often come down hard on shots to the family jewels – even when the box score calls it slashing rather than spearing.

Slashing Majors Are Almost Extinct

Olivier has already joined a very exclusive club. A review of every NHL game over the past five seasons turns up just seven slashing majors — and none at all in 2023-24 or 2024-25:

  • Apr. 21, 2022 – Oskar Sundqvist (DET) at Florida, on Gabriel Carlsson. No discipline; not even a hearing.
  • Jan. 24, 2023 – Juuso Valimaki (ARI) vs. Anaheim. Fined $4,189.19.
  • May 10, 2023 – Alex Pietrangelo (VGK) at Edmonton, a playoff two-hander on Leon Draisaitl. Suspended 1 game.
  • Dec. 28, 2025 – Mat Barzal (NYI) at Columbus, protecting rookie Matthew Schaefer with a slash on Mason Marchment. Fined $5,000.
  • Mar. 5, 2026 – Evgeni Malkin (PIT) vs. Buffalo, on Rasmus Dahlin. Suspended 5 games, forfeiting $158,854.15.
  • May 1, 2026 – Charlie McAvoy (BOS) vs. Buffalo, a playoff slash on Zach Benson. Suspended 6 games, forfeiting $296,875.
  • Oct. 13, 2026 – Mathieu Olivier (CBJ) vs. Florida, on Uvis Balinskis. Waiting on this one… 

Every one of the seven also came with a game misconduct. The outcomes, though, are all over the map – from Sundqvist hearing nothing at all to McAvoy’s six games, the longest slashing suspension in nearly a decade.

10 Years of Slashing – Mostly ‘Fine’

Zoom out to all slashing and spearing discipline over the past ten seasons and the pattern is clear. Of 63 fines and suspensions issued under those two labels since 2016-17, 52 were fines and just 11 were suspensions – nine for slashing, only two for spearing.

The decade’s longest slashing ban belongs to Radko Gudas, who got 10 games in November 2017 for a two-handed chop to the neck of a downed Mathieu Perreault. After Gudas, no slashing or spearing suspension topped two games for more than eight years until Malkin’s five games and McAvoy’s six last spring.

Of course, we can also consider the target and not just the direction of the stick. In 2023, Tony DeAngelo was suspended two games for spearing Corey Perry between the legs. If Player Safety views Olivier’s play through that lens rather than Barzal’s $5,000 retaliation fine, a short suspension is very much in play.

One Coming Back, One Going Out?

While Olivier was being ejected in Columbus, the last player suspended for a slashing major was returning from his ban: McAvoy’s six-game suspension carried into this season. , and he played his first game of 2026-27 on Tuesday night in San Jose.

Olivier will find out on Wednesday whether he joins McAvoy and Malkin on the suspension list, or follows Barzal and Valimaki with a fine and a warning.  Check back.