from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,
It sure seems as if there is something fishy about the NHL’s decision not to suspend repeat slew-foot offender Brad Marchand for his dangerous kick/trip/takedown from behind of Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall last Tuesday, instead of allowing him to escape with a slap-on-the-wrist $10,000 fine.
Understand. It is not only that Marchand previously had been suspended once and fined another time for slew-foot infractions among the four times he had been suspended and seven times he previously had been disciplined by the league’s Department of Player Safety.
It is also that Marchand was the 12th player this season to be summoned by vice president Stephane Quintal for a hearing per the Department’s Twitter announcements and the first — the first and only — not to be suspended in its aftermath.
The first 11 not only were suspended but all suspended for at least two games.
And then came Marchand.
Of course, there was no video (or audio or written) explanation of the leniency afforded Marchand, who is thus free to participate in this weekend’s All-Star festivities for Chairman of the Board of Governors Jeremy Jacobs’ Bruins.
When an anomaly such as this occurs, it is my sense there probably is more to it than Quintal doling out charity.
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