TSN’s Hockey Insiders were buzzing this week, dissecting the controversial hit by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Jake Guentzel. Chris Johnston weighed in, stating “It certainly didn’t hurt. He’s coming up on 1,000 games and he’s never been previously suspended in his career. This is a hit that the Department of Player Safety felt was on the line.”
But what exactly was the Department of Player Safety’s reasoning behind only issuing a $5,000 fine to Ekman-Larsson? Johnston continued, “They felt like he took advantage of Guentzel a little bit in this situation. The reason it was only a $5,000 fine, the second of Ekman-Larsson’s career, and not a suspension is the fact that Guentzel was about to make a play on the puck so they felt like it was a little early, not too early, so he should have expected some contact there and that the head was not the main point of contact on this hit, it wasn’t overly high.”
While Ekman-Larsson may have received a proverbial slap on the wrist, it seems the consensus is that he has generally been a player who toes the line without crossing it too often in his career.
In other news, Team Canada’s management team is leaving no stone unturned in their scouting efforts for the upcoming 4 Nations tournament. Pierre LeBrun revealed, “There’s scouting and there’s not having a night off. What we’re finding out is that the Canadian management team is taking this pretty darn seriously.”
Julien Brisebois, Jim Nill, Kyle Dubas, Don Sweeney, and Scott Salmond have all been spotted at various NHL games, even ones not involving their own teams. Their dedication to evaluating players who are on the bubble for Team Canada’s roster is evident, as they plan to keep up their intense scouting efforts right up until the February tournament.
Darren Dreger chimed in, saying, “The Hockey Canada guys are very busy there’s no question about that. Also looking forward to the World Junior Hockey Championships and the hope is that Canada’s junior team will continue to have an NHL presence.”
One player expected to make a big impact at the World Juniors is Jett Luchenko of the Philadelphia Flyers. Despite his current NHL stint, it is anticipated that he will be sent back to the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League in the near future, solidifying his spot on Team Canada’s roster. The excitement is palpable as the tournament draws nearer, with hopes of NHL star power shining through on the junior stage.