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Greg Wyshynski
Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman was suspended 10 games by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Monday “for using his forearm to violently slam the head of Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stützle into the ice” during Saturday’s matchup.
Players who are suspended at least six games are eligible to appeal to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and can file a second appeal to a neutral arbitrator. Hartman has 48 hours to appeal.
With 16 seconds left in the second period and Ottawa leading 3-0, Hartman and Stützle took a faceoff.
Hartman locked up Stützle’s stick with his leg, placed his right forearm on the back of Stützle’s neck and drove the Ottawa player’s head into the ice. Stützle’s helmet came off on impact, and he skated to the Senators’ bench with a cut bleeding over his left eye.
Hartman was given a match penalty. Stützle returned in the third period and assisted on two Ottawa goals as the Senators prevailed 6-0 at home.
In the NHL’s video, posted on social media announcing the discipline and describing the sequence, it said, “It is important to note that this is not a hockey play. … With Stützle bent low, and focused on winning the draw, Hartman chooses to take advantage of a vulnerable player in an unacceptable fashion.”
Stützle played in the Senators’ 5-2 win at the Nashville Predators on Monday night. In 21:30 of ice time, he had an assist and three shots on net.