It did not take long for the wheels of justice to turn in regard to a hit by a Florida Panthers player over the weekend.
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Monday that Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen had been fined $5,000.
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Their decision comes less than 24 hours after the play in question, which occurred during Sunday’s game between the Panthers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
During the second period and with the puck in Florida’s zone, Penguins forward Rickard Rakell skated behind the Panthers’ net, closely followed by Luostarinen.
As Rakell turned to come back above the goal line from the other side of the net, Luostarinen caught Rakell with a high stick across the face while trying to deny his path back toward the front of the net.
Luostarinen was handed a four-minute double-minor penalty on the play.
While Rakell and the Penguins didn’t score on the ensuing power play, the veteran forward finished the game with a pair of goals, including the game-winner in a 5-2 victory over the Panthers.
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The $5,000 represents the maximum allowable fine amount under the NHL and NHLPA’s collective bargaining agreement.
Luostarinen and the Panthers will be back in action on Tuesday when their road trip continues against the Canadiens in Montreal.
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Photo caption: Jan 8, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
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