Head-butting somebody is stupid and a good way to injure oneself or opponent. So, unsurprisingly then, it’s not common for the NHL Department of Player Safety to have to rule on such an infraction.
But they will Thursday, as Montreal Canadiens defenseman Chris Wideman is set to have a hearing for head-butting Boston Bruins center Erik Haula in the B’s 5-1 drubbing of the Habs on Wednesday. The infraction happened in the third period of a largely chippy contest, and Haula was rightfully heated after Wideman’s stunt.
Wideman’s hearing is not in person, meaning if he’s suspended, it will be for five games or fewer. Here’s been the fallout of other NHL head-butts.
— Already this season, St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich was handed a two-game suspension for head-butting Arizona Coyotes winger Lawson Crouse.
— The longest suspension we could find was in 2011 for Buffalo Sabres winger Patrick Kaleta, who was slapped with four games after leading with his face to hit Jakub Voracek, then of the Philadelphia Flyers. That was when Brendan Shanahan led the DoPS, and Kaleta had a history of similar, questionable hits.
— In 2012 of that season, Nate Prosser head-butted Jamal Mayers and got just a one-game suspension.
— It’s also gone the other way. In 2015, Andrew Shaw head-butted New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson. He was given five minutes and a game misconduct, which then player safety head Stephane Quintal deemed was enough, electing not to punish him further.
— Earlier this season, Rasmus Andersson was suspected of head-butting Kailer Yamamoto, but was only fined for roughing after it was determined his glove, not his head, was what connected with the Edmonton Oilers winger.
So, basically, the suspensions run the gamut of fines to games-long suspensions. How egregious Wideman’s act was now is up for George Parros to decide.
