The NHL’s Department of Player Safety suspended Minnesota Wild right winger Ryan Hartman for 10 games for roughing Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle.
During the second period of Saturday night’s game, Hartman and Stutzle lined up for a faceoff in Minnesota’s zone. Hartman immediately took his right hand off his stick, said NHL Player Safety’s video explanation.
“With Stutzle leaning forward in an attempt to win the faceoff, Hartman takes his free hand, puts his forearm on the back of Stutzle’s head and uses his body weight to intentionally drive Stutzle downward, slamming him face-first into the ice,” the video said.
Stutzle received a cut beside his left eyebrow. However, the 23-year-old got stitched up and played for the rest of the game. He already had a goal at that point of the game, and he added two more assists in the third period, both on the power play. The Senators beat the Wild 6-0.
NHL Player Safety said Hartman contended that he used his free hand to attempt to regain balance, used Stutzle for support and accidentally fell to the ice.
“We disagree,” the speaker said in the video. The speaker also described the play as intentional, inherently dangerous and unacceptable.
Senators coach Travis Green weighed in on the incident post-game, saying there’s “not a lot of place for that in the league.”
Meanwhile, Hartman received a match penalty for roughing the Ottawa star and an in-person hearing, allowing the suspension to be longer than five games.
He is considered a repeat offender and will forfeit $487,804.90 of his salary as a result of this latest suspension. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
This is Hartman’s fifth suspension in his 13-year NHL career. The NHL has also fined him seven times.
His previous suspension came last season against the Vegas Golden Knights on April 1, 2024. He was suspended for three games for throwing his stick on the ice from the bench toward an official after their 2-1 overtime loss.
This is also Hartman’s fourth suspension since April 2023, meaning he’s been considered a repeat offender for three-straight suspensions.
Hartman has seven goals and 17 points in 48 games in his sixth season with the Wild.
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