Paul Cotter took out New York’s Adam Pelech with an incredibly dirty hit on Sunday, and now it’s been confirmed he’ll face the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
Despite the fate of New Jersey and the New York Islanders already being clinched, that didn’t stop plenty of fire in their latest matchup, with Paul Cotter the focal point after laying a brutal hit on Adam Pelech that could result in a suspension.
The hit was brutal and unnecessary, and it’s safe to say that Pelech felt the same way, as he called out Cotter through his bloody face as he was taken off the ice following the collision.
Immediately, fans knew this could result in a suspension, and now the NHL’s Department of Player Safety has all but confirmed that some supplemental punishment is on the way, as they announced on social media that Cotter will have a hearing on Monday.
With just two regular season games remaining and a matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes looming in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, this could certainly put Cotter in jeopardy of missing some key games, and with the Devils already down some forwards, this is the last thing that they needed in a meaningless game.
The tough part about this is that the NHL’s DoPS has been so inconsistent over the past 18 months that nobody knows what’s coming, as it could be a ten-game suspension, a fine or a single game off the ice, but given how forceful and unnecessary the impact to the head was, it’s safe to say that fans are in agreement that some type of suspension is needed.
It has now been revealed by the Department of Player Safety that Cotter has been suspended for 2 games and will return for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.