Maple Leafs Rookie Nikita Grebenkin's NHL Debut Could Lead to Potential Suspension
It was a night to remember for Nikita Grebenkin although his excitement during his NHL debut may lead to some punishment from Player Safety.
Called up as insurance due to Max Domi being placed on the IR, Nikita Grebenkin made his long-awaited NHL debut on Wednesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.
He looked fantastic and although he didn't find the scoresheet, he was a relentless ball of energy and added a big spark to Toronto's third line.
Grebenkin was a force on the ice and had no problems throwing his weight around against seasoned NHL veterans. However, his aggressiveness might cost him.
As you can see, Grebenkin laid out Shea Theodore with a shove where the Golden Knights defenseman went face-first into the boards.
It was a rough looking hit, and Theodore may have tried to draw a penalty on the rookie. Well unfortunately for him, there was no call or review on the play and Grebenkin got off.
Well, that is for now.
Will Nikita Grebenkin Be Punished?
The ever notorious NHL Department of Player Safety will no doubt have a look at Grebenkin's hit and give it a second thought.
Given how the league decides the rules on any given day, it's unknown if Grebenkin will be punished, but given he plays for Toronto its potential is pretty high.
They also decided it was okay that Zach Whitecloud could level Matthew Knies with a Ryan Reaves-esque hit and get away scot-free.
Knies ended up having to leave the game, and there are currently no updates regarding whether there were any injuries or repercussions from the hit.
The NHL's track record is sketchy when it comes to punishing these types of incidents; they'll suspend Ryan Reaves for five games but let Jacob Trouba run wild with a slap on the wrist.
Toronto had it tough against Vegas especially without Knies, as this means the team is down over a half dozen players with injuries ranging from day-to-day to months on the shelf.
It didn't bother Toronto though, as Fraser Minten took charge by scoring his first NHL goal with William Nylander adding his team-leading 15th goal and Pontus Holmberg finally getting his first of the season.
Grebenkin was very grateful to his team for helping him win his debut, thanking everyone for the experience.
Grebenkin endeared himself to Maple Leafs fans through his play on the ice and could have solidified himself as a key part of their bottom six going forward.
The Maple Leafs rookie also has an incredible sense of humor and showed it off post-game, giving even more reason to love him.
When asked how he felt after his NHL debut, and how all the extra hitting affected him, he laid it out perfectly in broken English:
It remains to be seen if the NHL comes down on Grebenkin, but even if they do, they can't take away an unforgettable debut.
