It was a folded arms frontal body check that his elbow somehow inadvertently hit Barkov's jaw. 100% chance of intent to "knock his block off"...lol but 0.00% chance of intent to injure.
Stop with the nonsense, Barkov absolutely saw him coming. They didn't even call a penalty on the play (maybe because it was a body check...on the puck carrier...from directly in front of him...with his arms folded.)
Lol
Seriously guys...stop.
- JLO961

Oh here’s an impartial comment, yeah right.

Time for someone to take out Leon baby! How about a knee, achilles tendon, good concusion. I am SICK AND TIRED OF THE OILER BABIES female dogING ALL THE TIME!

Hey Ek, just curious what your opinion was on Bennetts stealth punch on Marchand in 2nd round?

You know...if he'd been suspended, every Molson swilling Canuck would be touting another crazy conspiracy theory on a Bettman scheme to not let a Canadian team win a championship.

Time for someone to take out Leon baby! How about a knee, achilles tendon, good concusion. I am SICK AND TIRED OF THE OILER BABIES female dogING ALL THE TIME!
- IBleedBlu1

No, time to take out McDavid. The real punishment for stupid teammates is the star player should be targeted. It will eventually be the coaches fault for putting such players on the ice.

It was a folded arms frontal body check that his elbow somehow inadvertently hit Barkov's jaw. 100% chance of intent to "knock his block off"...lol but 0.00% chance of intent to injure.
Stop with the nonsense, Barkov absolutely saw him coming. They didn't even call a penalty on the play (maybe because it was a body check...on the puck carrier...from directly in front of him...with his arms folded.)
Lol
Seriously guys...stop.
- JLO961

It was definitely a check where he left his feet and he hit him with his elbow. Doesn't matter if it was intentional or not, you are responsible for your actions on the ice. Couple that with the fact that he's obviously been frustrated out there...yeah, I think he saw some red.

That said, I've seen worse go uncalled. I'm not glad Barkov was knocked out of the game, and I hope he's back. Was this a game from 20 years ago, Draisaitl would have been pounded into the ice immediately after the hit. He probably deserved to get a 1-game suspension, but there's no way they suspend a top-2 scorer in the SCF (see: Malkin instigating a fight in Game 2 in 2009).

So it wasn't a clean hit, but it wasn't akin to McSorely on Brashear like some are making it out to be, it's somewhere in the middle. It was a dirty hit, anyone saying otherwise needs to take off the blue and orange glasses. But this wasn't as horrible as Chelios on Propp or Domi on Neidermayer, it was simply a reckless play that unfortunately resulted in injury.

Yeah not sure why anyone is surprised. If you let Bennett uppercut Marchand on the ice, or Trouba throw elbows any chance he gets, why shouldn't teams employ deliberate targeting of the opposition?
- jfkst1

That's a fair question, honestly. Trouba especially made himself a human torpedo a few times and didn't even get a penalty.

So, Ek clearly does not think Barkov is a star.....

Just like that scumbag messier cross checked gilmour in the face of game 2… nothing done to captain cry baby

It was definitely a check where he left his feet and he hit him with his elbow. Doesn't matter if it was intentional or not, you are responsible for your actions on the ice. Couple that with the fact that he's obviously been frustrated out there...yeah, I think he saw some red.

That said, I've seen worse go uncalled. I'm not glad Barkov was knocked out of the game, and I hope he's back. Was this a game from 20 years ago, Draisaitl would have been pounded into the ice immediately after the hit. He probably deserved to get a 1-game suspension, but there's no way they suspend a top-2 scorer in the SCF (see: Malkin instigating a fight in Game 2 in 2009).

So it wasn't a clean hit, but it wasn't akin to McSorely on Brashear like some are making it out to be, it's somewhere in the middle. It was a dirty hit, anyone saying otherwise needs to take off the blue and orange glasses. But this wasn't as horrible as Chelios on Propp or Domi on Neidermayer, it was simply a reckless play that unfortunately resulted in injury.
- jmatchett383

This is a very fair assessment. Good job.
In the end, it was a body check that kind of went off the rails a bit...MUCH better than hitting from behind, knee on knee, or a stick incident etc.

Just like that scumbag messier cross checked gilmour in the face of game 2… nothing done to captain cry baby
- Theathletic is for libs

Messier...crybaby? scumbag?

wrong planet bud.

I can’t be the only one who hates the term “leaving his feet.” He didn’t leave his feet. His skates left the ice surface. If he left his feet, he’d be an amputee.

Draisaitl jumped at him and elbowed him in the face. Definitely a penalty, probably a major and probably deserves a suspension.

based on the clip shown here, I wouldn't assess a penalty either. I don't care to look further for another angle.

That's a fair question, honestly. Trouba especially made himself a human torpedo a few times and didn't even get a penalty.
- jmatchett383

Right, so why shouldn't players throw cheap shots to injure top opposing players? I can't blame them at all. It's also the NHLPA that fights league punishment (like all unions do). Might as well bring in Matt Petgrave and tell him to kick some necks.

Kinda like when Bennet punched Marchand in the jaw with a gloved fist and didn't even get a penalty?
- Nasty_Duck

And it was in in 04! Get over it.

I feel bad for Nazem Kadri and Matt Rempe for the suspensions they will serve for this.

I feel bad for Nazem Kadri and Matt Rempe for the suspensions they will serve for this.
- AdamFrench

Ironic that all the terrible penalties Kadri took in the playoffs with Toronto ended up getting him shipped out and ultimately a Cup

Ironic that all the terrible penalties Kadri took in the playoffs with Toronto ended up getting him shipped out and ultimately a Cup
- eichiefs9

Also got suspended his first run in Colorado.

I don’t care who wins this series, but I totally agree with your assessment! Driasiatl should have been given 5 minutes and game misconduct….. I feel that would have showed the NHL officials care a little about player safety but no only 2 minutes it was ridiculous! What if it was Rempe that did it ? Could you imagine the talking heads lol ….

Also got suspended his first run in Colorado.
- AdamFrench

It was actually his second run with Colorado but your point stands. What people probably also forget is that it was for 8 playoff games and very well may have cost the Avs a Cup. They were up 2 games to none on Vegas and 2-1 in the third period of game 3 without Naz. I think they would have had a pretty good shot versus Montreal to go to the Final. Who knows what would have happened against Tampa but they probably would have been the betting favorites. Once DOPS decides you're on the bad list all bets are off.

It was a folded arms frontal body check that his elbow somehow inadvertently hit Barkov's jaw. 100% chance of intent to "knock his block off"...lol but 0.00% chance of intent to injure.
Stop with the nonsense, Barkov absolutely saw him coming. They didn't even call a penalty on the play (maybe because it was a body check...on the puck carrier...from directly in front of him...with his arms folded.)
Lol
Seriously guys...stop.
- JLO961

Are you truly this stupid?

STFU helmet wearing window licker.

The precedence was already set with some of the Trouba decisions. This has nothing to do with it being a star player, has more to do with how the playoffs are called in general. Guys being tackled and mobbed for just staking by a goalie, would be assault on the street, and called in the regular season. But that's considered "playoff hockey".

Is this a joke? I don't favour either team, but the league does.
LD did not leave his feet. The head was not the principal point of contact. Barkov had possession of the puck. It was a clean hit. Should have been no penalty.

Now Bennet's hit on McDivid. Head was the principal point of contact. McDavid did not have possession of the puck. Bennet has a history of dirty hits (Marchand just last series, Knies in last year's playoffs). Yet he does not even get reviewed, nor a penalty. So much for your "blow on a star player" theory.

Florida will win the cup. The league will make sure of it. That need to boost those USD-markets. Otherwise, McDavid and company will need to beat the refs as well as Florida.

Florida will win the cup. The league will make sure of it. That need to boost those USD-markets. Otherwise, McDavid and company will need to beat the refs as well as Florida.
- TroyTech

Then why didn't Draisaitl get suspended? Doesn't Bettman have Parros' phone number?

well this was a poor thought attempt at providing something useful

so the choke holds by the Florida players that ok, just like Bennet twisting Kneis neck last year and taking him out of the playoffs was ok by you?? or every time the back stabber (Matthew T. or Sam B.) grabs a players neck from behind you find that ok???