The New York Rangers and defenseman Ryan Lindgren could breathe a sigh of relief tonight after the Department of Player Safety ruled that his massive hit on Joonas Donskoi was “unavoidable contact.”
It’s always hard to predict what measures the NHL Department of Player Safety will take when it comes to hits to the head. New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren had a telephone hearing after his hit on Joonas Donskoi on Tuesday night, but came away without any disciplinary action when they ruled that it was unavoidable contact.
(2/2) While there was significant head contact on this play, Lindgren took a proper angle of approach, did not extend outward or upward and hit through Donskoi’s core. Therefore, under Rule 48.1 (i), the head contact was determined to be unavoidable.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 8, 2020
The hit was the talk of the hockey world on Wednesday morning with many weighing in that it was a headshot that warranted a fine or suspension. Just as many called it a solid hit that resulted in contact to the head, but it was not any type of headhunting. The league agreed with that opinion. .
If you look at the hit (below) it’s clear that Lindgren made contact with Doonskoi’s head, but he didn’t elevate or change direction to go for the headshot. That was crucial towards the decision.
Many leagues and the NCAA rule any contact with the head a penalty, but the NHL rule is different. It allows for contact to the head if it is unavoidable while making the check. It’s enough of a gray area, but makes some sense. They ruled that it did in this case.
Nazem Kadri immediately challenged Lindgren and gave him a pretty one-sided whupping. Kadri had to sit for 17 minutes in penalties, but Lindgren never returned to the game for what coach David Quinn called “precautionary reasons.” The word is that Lindgren will be back in action on Thursday. Donskoi left the game and according the NHL he returned for one eight-second shift in the second period.
The hearing was conducted Wednesday afternoon over the phone and the NHL came to a swift decision a short time later. It was the second disciplinary hearing of the year for the Rangers. On December 12, Brendan Lemieux was fined $2 thousand for an illegal hit to the head when he elbowed Cody Glass of the Vegas Golden Knights.