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League Punishes Niko Mikkola After Boarding Against Tampa Bay

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated Apr 29, 2025 12:35 PM ET

Niko Mikkola was ejected from Game 4 against Tampa Bay, and now, the NHL's Department of Player Safety have handed out a major fine as a result, with many questioning the decision to not hand down a suspension for this play.

The Battle of Florida has been one of the most intense first-round matchups in this years Stanley Cup Playoffs, and with so much physicality, there has been plenty of poor discipline thus far.

After Brandon Hagel was suspended for one game, a similar fate may await Aaron Ekblad for getting revenge, and now another member of the Florida Panthers has heard from the Department of Player Safety.

Fortunately for Niko Mikkola, the announcement was simply that he was handed a $5,000 fine for his boarding penalty on Zemgus Girgensons, the fine being the most allowable under the current CBA.

Unsurprisingly, fans are furious with the decision, as he intentionally hit a player in a vulnerable position with intent to injure, and while Girgensons appears to be okay, this play could have resulted in a serious injury.

While it definitely shouldn't have resulted in a long-term suspension, given the one-game that was handed to Hagel for his hit on Aleksander Barkov, there is absolutely no way that the NHL can defend this one and say that Mikkola did not deserve a game.

Unfortunately, Gary Bettman, George Parros and the Department of Player Safety have been making ridiculous, inconsistent calls all season long, and that's clearly not stopping in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so while there may be a suspension call looming for Aaron Ekblad, it's safe to say that many feel this should have been called the same way.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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