The NHL Department of Player Safety has officially handed out their first suspension of the 2024-25 season

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Hunter Bowman
October 31, 2024 (11:50 PM)

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The National Hockey League Department of Player Safety has officially handed out their first suspension of the 2024-25 season.

The suspension was handed out to Colorado Avalanche's forward Matt Stienburg, who was suspended for two games after he delivered a brutal hit on Tampa Bay Lightning's defenseman Erik Cernak on Wednesday night.

During the game Steinburg was assessed a five-minute major and was ejected after charging towards Cernak and laying a forceful hit that made both of his skates leave the ice. Resulting in an immediate review and disciplinary action from the league.

Colorado's Matt Stienburg will have a hearing today for charging Tampa Bay's Erik Cernak.

Colorado's Matt Stienburg has been suspended for two games for charging Tampa Bay's Erik Cernak.

Cernak, was undoubtedly shaken up from the hit, and was forced to be sidelined for the remainder of the game. However, the NHL rules prohibit players from having their skates leave the ice to make a hit, unless it's an unavoidable result of momentum.

After the game Tampa Bay Lightning's coach Jon Cooper issued a statement expressing his concern and hopes for a quick recovery for Cernak:

Cooper on Erik Cernak, who did not play in the third period after taking a hit at the end of the second period: «No update yet. That was a tough little sequence for us. Those are tough hits but, hopefully, he is good to go in a couple of days»

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