The verdict is in from the National Hockey League for Minnesota Wild gritty forward Ryan Reaves, who went viral for absolutely trucking Detroit Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek.
Hronek was ran over by Reaves shortly into last night's game at XCel Energy Center, and needed assistance to leave the ice. However, replays show that Hronek's head appeared to be the principle point of contact on the hit from Reaves, who was not penalized.
As stated, Reaves wasn't penalized on the play, and now the NHL has weighed in - he won't face any supplemental discipline.
Reaves wasn't guilty of a blatant headshot, but rather what the NHL rulebook refers to as "unavoidable head contact," determined by “whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full body check unavoidable.”
Reaves has been suspended three times while also having been fined three times, but he avoids any penalty from the NHL on this one.
