Another Player Suspended, Another Hearing

Looks like the 15-game suspension to Shawn Thornton isn't the only suspension getting handed down for the start of the week.

The NHL handed down a suspension on Sunday and scheduled for an in-person hearing that happened on Saturday. This was the same day that the league hit Thornton with the biggest regular-season suspension in Brendan Shanahan's tenure.

Winnipeg Jets forward Anthony Peluso was suspended for three games for boarding Dallas Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski. Goliogoski needed 12 stitches after that hit but nevertheless returned to the game. The hit was badly timed, as the Jets had tied the game 35 seconds earlier and the Stars scored on the five-minute major after Peluso went off. Peluso forfeits $8,653.86 in his first suspension.

In the meantime, Penguins defenseman Deryk Engelland will have a hearing on Wednesday after being assessed on match penalty for his hit on Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader.  Abdelkader was skating for a loose puck at center ice when he collided with Engelland collided near the red line. Engelland's shoulder appeared to strike Abdelkader's chin, and the Red Wings forward was dazed and had to be helped to the dressing room. His suspension, because it is in-person, has the possibility of topping five games. Engelland was suspended two years ago for a head hit on the Blackhawks' Marcus Kruger. Even though it is outside the 18-month period for a repeat offender, it will be taken into account when handing down the suspension.

I'll go to Engelland's suspension in a moment. Let's start with the small suspension in Peluso. Boarding, especially boarding that appears dangerous, will get you a meeting with the league. Even though Goligoski did come back and skate, it was still a dangerous hit that he took. He used force to drive Goligoski into the glass violently and that was good enough for the suspension. Three games is okay, but Dion Phaneuf got two for boarding Kevan Miller, so I don't know why Peluso's was one more game serious.

As for the Engelland hit, this was a very dangerous hit that he put in Abdelkader. Match penalties always result in suspensions. Engelland has been known as an agitator and a dirty player and even though he has not been suspended or fined for two years ago, we can't ignore his prior suspensions and the hits that he made. I'm guessing he's going to get either five or six, with the potential to be seven. Again, a very dangerous hit that resulted in Abdelkader leaving the ice and not returning. Engelland will be out for a number of games, and it could hurt the Penguins in the short term, who rely on Engelland to bring toughness and physical ability.