Player Safety comes down on Jonatan Berggren for cross-check to the head.
THe NHL's Department of Player Safety has come down on Jonatan Berggren for a cross-check to the head of Connor Dewar.
The Toronto Maple Leafs probably aren't going to be very happy about this ruling.
The National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety has officially issued supplemental discipline to Detroit Red Wings forward Jonatan Berggren following a controversial incident during Saturday nights game between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs.
Berggren delivered a pretty nasty looking cross-check to the head and neck of Maple Leafs forward Connor Dewar in front of the Red Wings net. The incident occurred after the play, with Dewar bumping Berggren as the Red Wings forward closed in on him, a bump that Berggren would respond to with a stiff cross-check to the head that dropped Dewar to the ice.
Although many expected that Berggren would likely face a suspension for his actions, given the severity of the cross-check and given that it seemed rather unprovoked, the NHL's Department of Player Safety does not agree. Instead Berggren will receive a fine in the amount of $2,148.44, which is the maximum fine he can receive under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement.
The biggest consequence here for Berggren will be the fact that he will now be considered a repeat offender by the NHL and Player Safety should he find himself on the wrong side of a situation like this in the future, with any infractions within the next 18 months automatically being considered a repeat offense.
Here is a look at the incident in question:
Dewar does not appear to have suffered any injury on the play and remained in the game following the shot to the head from Berggren, something that may have also played a factor in the Red Wings forward receiving a relatively mild punishment in this scenario.