Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Höglander avoids suspension, levied fine for slew foot

Höglander was assessed a match penalty on the play, ending his night early. On Wednesday, the league said they issued him a $2,864.58 fine, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement. It’s the first piece of supplemental discipline Höglander has faced in his 158-game career.

Drafted by the Canucks in the 2nd round of the 2019 draft, Höglander has scored 31 goals and 62 points across his NHL career. After last season saw him split time between the NHL and AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, Höglander has had a solid start to this season, scoring five goals and eight points in 17 games.

Höglander was CanucksArmy’s first star of the week after scoring goals in back-to-back games. Here’s some of what Dave Hall wrote on Sunday about the week that was for him:

Nils Höglander is finally receiving the credit he deserves, not only within this column but also from the entire fan base and even the head coach.

Early in the season, we heard Rick Tocchet say, “I’ve heard he’s a buzz saw.” Well, his game hasn’t been perfect, but so far, he’s been just that this season.
Despite limited ice time, he has been making his presence felt on the ice and consistently stands out in nearly every shift he’s involved in. He’s winning board battles, hounding pucks and building up his team with copious amounts of energy whenever he hits the ice.

This week, he scored in back-to-back games, and in both instances, he earned late third-period ice time.

On Saturday, following his late goal, he was even left on the ice to skate alongside the team’s superstars in search of a late-period hero. It’s a subtle reward for playing the way he has as of late.

Höglander embodies a story that truly resonates with fans — the tale of a player who faced adversity, but persisted with hard work, and gradually earned the trust of his coach. With the team in need of a quick turnaround, perhaps a promotion to the top six is in order.