NHL Department of Player Safety Makes Final Decision on William Nylander's Potential Suspension
The NHL Department of Player Safety has announced the verdict regarding William Nylander's crosscheck to the face of Florida's Nate Schmidt.
Frustrations boiled over for William Nylander during Toronto's 5-1 loss vs. the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, as the Swedish superstar crosschecked Nate Schmidt after losing the puck, and earning himself a double minor for it.
It looks like Nylander was trying to simply shove Schmidt and his stick got caught as Schmidt was also going for a shove, leading to Nylander's stick catching him in the face.
But Nylander may have bigger things to worry about than a shove back, as he awaits his verdict from the NHL Department of Player Safety. Notorious for having a less than stellar track record, it comes down to how the league feels about the situation.
Last season, David Perron was suspended 6 games for this crosscheck standing up for his downed teammate.
Meanwhile, Connor Clifton was given only two games for this headshot to Devils forward Nico Hischier.
Well, the league has determined that Nylander's double minor was enough punishment for the forward, eschewing any further discipline.
It's a good sign for both Toronto and Nylander, as as coming off a 5-1 loss and headed into another tough game in Tampa Bay, Toronto needs all the help they can get.
It's an aggressive side of Nylander we don't often see, and it shows the frustration that he felt as the team was shut down by the Panthers. It's clear that he wasn't too happy with how the team was playing and had enough.
This season, Nylander has scored a team-leading 14 goals in 22 games, and has been one of Toronto's key offensive producers since Auston Matthews has been out of the lineup.
FAQ: William Nylander Avoids Suspension For Crosscheck
Q1: Why did William Nylander not get suspended?
A1: Nylander did not get suspended for his crosscheck on Nate Schmidt because the NHL did not hand out a verdict before their 5 PM deadline and concluded his double-minor penalty was sufficient punishment enough.
Q2: Does the NHL suspend a lot of players?
A2: Suspensions are on a case by case basis. For the 2024-25 season, we have seen a total of five, including one in the preseason. Last season, the NHL saw 14 suspensions, so they could potentially be on pace to beat that total this year.
In closing, the Toronto Maple Leafs avoided a disaster by having William Nylander avoid suspension. They need as much firepower as possible, and the loss of their leading scorer would be a huge blow to their lead in the Atlantic Division.
