The National Hockey League (NHL) Department of Player Safety has announced that Calgary Flames forward Martin Pospisil will have a hearing tomorrow for his hit on Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn.
The incident occurred with 6:19 remaining in regulation time during Monday’s contest at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. A major penalty was issued on hand, which was upheld after a brief review. Pospisil drilled Dunn from behind, Dunn went crashing into the end boards and immediately left the ice in discomfort.
Kraken coach Dave Hakstol called the hit “garbage” in a post-game interview following Monday’s 4-2 victory over the Flames.
Pospisil has tallied six goals, 15 points, and 72 penalty minutes in 45 games with the Flames this season. The Flames originally selected the 24-year-old in the fourth round (No. 105 overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. The Slovak product appeared in 113 American Hockey League (AHL) games over parts of five seasons with the Stockton Heat and Calgary Wranglers before making his NHL debut with the Flames earlier in 2023-24.
Back in February, Pospisil was assessed a game misconduct for a check on Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand in a scrum during the first period of a game at TD Garden, he did not receive any supplementary discipline as a result of the incident.
The hit on Dunn was not Pospisil’s first big hit of the game either, he cranked Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson and folded him like a lawn chair along the boards.
Calgary is currently 30-26-5 with 65 points through 61 games and sits fifth in the Pacific Division. The Flames will play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday one day before the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline.
More must-reads: