Clik here to view.
During Sunday night's home preseason game against the heated rival Los Angeles Kings, the Coyotes would once again be involved in a play that has become the talk of the hockey town. And like last time, a Coyote was on the receiving end of a brutal hit instead of dishing it out.
Defenseman Rusty Klesla was carrying the puck through center ice when he would be blasted with a check from King forward Jordan Nolan. Klesla would ultimately have to be stretchered off. He did give a thumbs up as he left and is suffering from concussion and whiplash symptoms. The hit would trigger an altercation that left Nolan and Martin Hanzal in the box.
The NHL released a video explaining their position on the hit. Here's their justification as to why it does not merit suspension:
To recap, the league finds that Nolan didn't make principle contact with Klesla's head and did not launch himself into the hit. But let's compare Nolan's hit to this hit from the playoffs last year, featuring Eric Gryba on Lars Eller:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
On this play, Gryba was suspended for two playoff games.
What say you, the fans? Should Nolan have been suspended? Did the league get this one right? Just angry and want to vent your frustrations? Use the comment section below.