Report: NHL Department of Player Safety Still in the Information-Gathering Stage of Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly's Incident With Senators' Ridly Grieg

Originally posted on Toronto Maple Leafs on SI
By David Alter | Last updated Feb 11, 2024 12:52 PM ET

Morgan Rielly is quite likely to be facing some form of supplemental discipline stemming from his cross-check to the head of Ridly Greig on Saturday. But whatever the case may be, it appears the NHL Department of Player Safety isn't going to rush the process along.

According to TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston, the NHL's disciplinary department is still in the gathering evident portion of their investigation.

With the Toronto Maple Leafs trailing 4-3 and Toronto's net empty, Greig found himself with the puck on a breakaway and took a slapshot from in close on a wide-open net to ice the game for the Ottawa Senators.

Rielly, who took exception to Greig's tact at the net, went over the Senators forward and delivered a cross-check that appeared to hit the player in the head. Rielly was given a five-minute major for cross-checking and a game misconduct.

The Leafs had a day off on Sunday and are expected to practice on Monday before hosting the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena. At which point discipline of some sort is expected to be handed down.

If Rielly is offered a hearing, it's a virtual certainty that the defenseman will be suspended for some games. If an in-person hearing is offered, a suspension of more than five games would be expected.

Rielly has no previous fine or suspension history in his 11-year NHL career. However, that hasn't stopped the Player Safety Department from handing down steep suspensions in the past.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jason Spezza had never been suspended before when he was handed a six-game suspension for kneeing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk in the head. Spezza's suspension was later brought down from six games to four on appeal.