Bruins forward Brad Marchand didn’t exactly get away scot free for his slew foot on Pittsburgh defenseman Matt Niskanen last week.
Marchand was given two minutes for tripping and took a few punches from Niskanen in the scrap that followed. But on Monday, the NHL decided that was not enough of a punishment, and announced that Marchand has been fined $2,500 for slew-footing.
That total is the maximum fine allowed under the current collective bargaining agreement and the fine money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
It’s not the first time Marchand has found himself in hot water with the league. Last season he was suspended two games for an elbow to the head of Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger in a March 15 game in Columbus.
This time, Marchand won’t have to sit out any games, which is good news for the Bruins with Daniel Paille (concussion) and Gregory Campbell (foot) already questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Kings at the Garden.
Marchand also at least showed a willingness to answer for his misdeed immediately by dropping the gloves with Niskanen.
Still, slew-footing is one of the most dangerous infractions in hockey. It occurs when a player takes out an opponent’s legs out from under them, usually from behind, causing them to fall violently to the ice, risking injury to the back or head as they fall backward.
See the incident in the video below.
