Sam Bennett’s dirty history: NHL’s discipline issues

Game 2

Game 2 is where most people take issue. Matthew Knies joined the Maple Leafs late in the season as a rookie. Bennett punched Knies in the face, smashed Knies’ head against the glass, and brought him down to the ice:

Matthew Knies was concussed and remained out for the remainder of the playoffs. There was no call on Bennett, nor was there any supplemental discipline.

Also in Game 2, Bennett cross-checked Michael Bunting to the neck. He then followed that up with a cross-check to the lower back, often where there is no padding. Bennett was assessed a two-minute penalty, and was fined $5,000.

Sam Bennett: Current Playoffs

This leads us to the current playoffs and, in particular, Game 1 of the conference semi-finals. Bennett clearly knew what he was doing to Anthony Stolarz:

Stolarz later puked in the Maple Leafs’ bench during the TV time-out, pulled halfway through the game, and during the third period was stretchered to the hospital. There was no call on Bennett, nor did he receive supplemental discipline. 

I think what also has people upset is how it was handled. Bennett was not made available to the media after the game. Yet, when asked about it the next day, he said:

From my point of view, I was just taking the puck to the net. I didn’t even know we’d made contact until after… Looking back at the video, the contact that was made was, in my opinion, just a bump. I mean, I’m trying to score. The last thing on my mind is elbowing him in the head.

If it was just a “bump”, why were you not available to discuss it post-game?

The Florida Panthers are unhinged

The Panthers have played six playoff games this year and have already had four incidents. Matthew Tkachuk attempted to injure Jake Guentzel in Game 3. Tkachuk was given a five-minute major penalty, but did not receive supplemental discipline.

In Game 4, Niko Mikkola was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct and was fined $5,000 for boarding Zemgus Girgensons. Also in Game 4, Aaron Ekblad elbowed Brandon Hagel. He was assessed no penalty, but was suspended for two games. However, that didn’t matter as Ekblad later scored the game-tying goal, while Hagel missed the rest of the series.

We’re now in the second round, and it’s simply continuing. In Game 1, Mikkola blatantly elbowed Calle Jarnkrok. Mikkola was assessed no penalty on the play, nor did he receive supplemental discipline.

Tkachuk at the end of the game deliberately tried to clip Mitch Marner by extending his leg out, and later cross-checked him in the back. The game was already over. Where is the hockey play? Tkachuk knows that the game is over, and he’s trying to take his pound of flesh for Game 2.

If all you’ll receive is a $5,000 fine, and maybe a penalty to seriously injure or attempt to injure players on the other team, why not take that deal? Who’s to blame? Part of the blame is on the officiating for not calling the rulebook. Blame is on the league for not stepping in and consistently disciplining similar incidents. Blame is also on the players themselves for committing the action. 

However, very little blame is put on head coach Paul Maurice. But Paul is allowing or perhaps asking his players to play by prison rules.

Are the Maple Leafs being stiffed?

I think there’s a lot of frustration if you’re a Maple Leafs fan. While on the Leafs, Nazem Kadri was suspended for two playoffs in a row. The first time was against the Boston Bruins in 2018 for boarding Tommy Wingels. Kadri received a five-minute penalty, a game misconduct, and was suspended for three games.

Then, a year later, against the Boston Bruins again, Kadri cross-checked Jake DeBrusk. Kadri was assessed a five-minute penalty, a game misconduct, and was suspended for “the rest of the series”. This suspension ended up being five games. I don’t think any Maple Leafs fan would say these are not suspension-worthy. 

On the contrary, I am sure if you sampled Maple Leafs fans, most would say these types of plays have no place in the NHL. However, it’s the consistency by the Department of Player Safety that is the issue. When has another player received a “for the rest of the series” suspension? How can you not look at what Kadri received, and how very little that Bennett or Tkachuk received this playoffs alone, and think that is fair?

And it’s not just the Maple Leafs. Other fan bases will point out how players like Nikita Kucherov have made dirty plays against their teams. It’s an issue not just limited to Toronto. 

Though it’s hard as a Maple Leafs fan not to start spinning conspiracy theories. Especially how a current NHL executive, Colin Campbell, criticized referees for calling penalties on his son, Gregory Campbell, who played for the Panthers at the time. The same Colin Campbell who has a beef against former player and now power play coach of the Maple Leafs, Marc Savard.

Where do we go?

I keep coming back to the phrase “best sport, worst league.” Until the league starts disciplining these plays seriously and consistently, teams like the Florida Panthers will continue to play like this. Why stop if it goes unchecked? Why stop if it wins championships?

It is possible to play a fast-paced, hard-hitting game and not clip players in the head “accidentally on purpose.” It’s frustrating as a fan to wait eight months to see the NHL’s best-on-best, only to be angry at the abysmal officiating. Or even worse, at plays that seriously injure players that I can no longer watch, and automatically lower the chance that my team wins. How are these types of plays good for the game?

For a league that lags behind the other major sports leagues in terms of reach and market share, it vastly cheapens the on-ice product. It takes out the excitement fans have for the game, and perhaps turns fans away entirely. The solution is quite simple: call the game by the rule-book and be consistent in the application of supplementary discipline. Revolutionary.

We talked about how the Maple Leafs can overcome the dirty plays and bad officiating against the Panthers. I don’t think you dress Ryan Reaves to get retribution. Everyone is going to expect a response, and the officials are going to call everything. We’ve also been down this road before with the Kadri suspensions. The Maple Leafs can play a hard, physical, and more importantly, clean game that is by the rulebook.

The objective is to win the series, not be brought down to the Panthers’ level in an underground on-ice grudge match. But let us know what you think below.