Update: We now have information about both sides of the Pionk hit on Sandin.
Rasmus is expected to miss two to three weeks:
Per @reporterchris, the timeline on Rasmus Sandin’s return from injury is 2-3 weeks #LeafsForever
— OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) December 6, 2021
Pionk’s sentence for causing Sandin to miss that time is two games:
Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk has been suspended for two games for Kneeing Toronto’s Rasmus Sandin. https://t.co/69HHijjoXA
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 6, 2021
Spezza’s hearing is tomorrow afternoon.
——
After the zoo-like festival of emotion as the Leafs took on the Jets, the results are starting to come in:
Toronto’s Wayne Simmonds has been fined $2,250, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Cross-checking Winnipeg’s Jansen Harkins.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 6, 2021
Simmonds offence initially led to a two-minute penalty plus a ten minute misconduct. When he came back from sitting for 10, he ended up in fight that got called roughing. He could likely have been fined for that event too, if the NHL was in a mood to make a point.
The incident that set this all off, of course, was Neal Pionk’s hit on Rasmus Sandin. For that:
Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk will have a hearing today for Kneeing Toronto’s Rasmus Sandin.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 6, 2021
But, there’s more. Jason Spezza retaliated with a hit on Pionk, and he’s also getting a hearing.
Toronto’s Jason Spezza has been offered an in-person hearing via Zoom for Kneeing Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk. Date and time TBD.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 6, 2021
Toronto’s Jason Spezza will have an in-person hearing via Zoom tomorrow afternoon for Kneeing Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 6, 2021
By offering Spezza an “in-person” hearing, this allows the NHL to give him more than five games as a suspension. They are not required to give more than five, however, so the door is still open for an even-up between him and Pionk.
Rasmus Sandin is down.
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 6, 2021
Goes knee-on-knee with Neal Pionk pic.twitter.com/Nh1wVXSb9Y
Jason Spezza is an avenger
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 6, 2021
Goes right for Pionk pic.twitter.com/95v2TID9UE
No word at this time on how Sandin is faring or how many games he will miss.
This was fine, though:
Dubois clips Woll as he comes out to play the puck pic.twitter.com/xLpxvc4ZnX
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 6, 2021