Photo: Hockey Troll
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced on Friday night that Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Kassian has been suspended for seven games for kicking Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak during the first period of the Oilers’ 3-1 loss to the Lightning on Thursday night.
Edmonton’s Zack Kassian has been suspended for seven games for Kicking Tampa Bay’s Erik Cernak. https://t.co/8pSlqHoL7q
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) February 15, 2020
The league offered him an in-person hearing but he waived that right.
After hitting Cernak along the boards and seeing teammate and forward Josh Archibald sandwiched between Cernak and the ice, Kassian kicked at his chest. Cernak did not react to the kick Kassian delivered.
Kassian was not assessed a penalty and played the entire game for the Oilers. The 29-year-old was suspended for two games a little less than five weeks ago for being an aggressor in an altercation with Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk on January 11.
He will also have to pay a fine of $166,463.43, which will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
This is the fourth time Kassian has been suspended in his NHL career.
The Department of Player Safety’s explanation can be found here.
Kassian will be eligible to return on February 29.
By Harrison Brown
This guy needs to be suspended for more than seven games. Seven games is nothing when he could of hurt or killed the other player. This guy doesn’t have a brain.