Claude Julien: Zac Rinaldo’s Illegal Hit Was Unnecessary But Not Dirty

WILMINGTON, Mass. — Claude Julien didn’t have much to say Wednesday night about the hit that earned Bruins winger Zac Rinaldo a game misconduct.

“He was given a five(-minute major),” Julien said after his team’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, “and I respect the referee’s decision.”

The head coach again was asked about the hit, which knocked Flyers center Sean Couturier out of the game, following Thursday’s practice. This time, he offered a more insightful response.

“I don’t think it’s … I don’t see an elbow or anything to the head,” Julien said. “I think the shoulder hits the chest, and obviously with the force, it goes up a little bit. It looked more like whiplash from Couturier’s end of it.”

Julien said he did not believe Rinaldo’s hit was dirty, but he did view it as unnecessary, as Couturier already was engaged with Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid when Rinaldo delivered his check.

“In my mind, he’s already engaged in a battle,” Julien said. “From a coach’s perspective, I would have liked Zac to cover up for the D pinching. But the hit wasn’t necessarily … it wasn’t meant to be a dirty hit. I think it was meant to be a clean hit, and I know that Couturier was leaning forward a little bit there. To me, it was more that the force of the hit created a little bit of a whiplash. Again, I say that so often. Sometimes, you’ve got to let the league take care of those things, but I didn’t see it as a dirty hit.”

As of Thursday afternoon, the Bruins still had yet to receive word by on whether Rinaldo, who has been suspended a total of 14 games in NHL career, will receive supplemental discipline from the league. The 25-year-old former Flyer said he “just tried to deliver a clean body check” and did not intend to injure Couturier.

UPDATE (5:35 p.m. ET): The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Rinaldo will not be suspended or receive any supplemental discipline for the hit.

Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images