NHL issues ruling after knee on knee hit to Drew Doughty.

As fans of the Los Angeles Kings await an update on their injured star defenseman, it would appear as though the National Hockey League is not particularly concerned with the play that caused the injury.

On Friday night veteran NHL defenseman Drew Doughty appeared to suffer a significant injury when he was the victim of a knee on knee hit courtesy of Dallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpää. Knee on knee hits are viewed very poorly in the NHL due to the fact that they can have serious long term health implications and can even be career ending in the most extreme of cases, but in this particular instance it did not appear as though there was much intent on the part of Hakanpää.

It would appear as though the league itself shares this perspective on this particular knee on knee hit, as according to a report from Dallas Stars insider Matthew DeFranks, it would appear as though there will be no discipline forthcoming from the league. DeFranks reported on Saturday morning that the league had determined that Hakanpää had not materially changed his position when attempting to deliver the hit and that he had not stuck his knee out in any way that would suggest an intentional knee on knee hit.

The replay would appear to support the league's view of the events and if anything it appears as though Doughty is the only player who adjusts his position prior to the hit. That will of course be of little comfort to fans in Los Angeles if Doughty proves to be out long term as a result of the injury he suffered last night.

There is good news on that front for Kings' fans however, as it would appear as though early reports are suggesting this will be relatively minor. NHL insider Frank Seravalli reports that the injury is believed to be a minor knee sprain at this time, although he admits that there has still not been any final word from the doctors evaluating the Kings' defenseman.

If you didn't see the hit at the time, here's a replay of both the impact and the aftermath of the hit that saw Doughty helped off the ice: