Buffalo Sabres enforcer Patrick Kaleta is no stranger to suspensions.
On Monday, the veteran forward was suspended 10 games for an illegal hit to the head on Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson from an October 10 game in Buffalo.
“Although Johnson is eligible to be checked, Kaleta takes an improper angle, misses Johnson’s body and does not make a full body check. Instead, he hits Johnson directly on his chin with his left shoulder,” said Brendan Shanahan of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
It’s the fourth suspension of Kaleta’s career, and it wasn’t surprising to see him receive more than five games because his hearing with the league was an in-person one (phone hearings result in five games or less).
This is one play that must be taken out of the game for player safety, and it’s encouraging to see the NHL hand out a major punishment to Kaleta, especially since his first three suspensions didn’t result in him learning a lesson.
Check out the full explanation of the suspension from the NHL in the video below.
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