I wasn’t really expecting this, but hey, cool: Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak has been suspended two games for picking the head on a hit against Chris VandeVelde on Saturday afternoon.
Here’s the explanation from the NHL Dept. of Player Safety:
The basic argument is that yeah, VandeVelde had the puck and was eligible to be checked on this play, but Oleksiak made contact with the head instead of hitting him through the body. Therefore, a suspension. VandeVelde also did not move his head or put himself in a vulnerable position, and it’s on Oleksiak to avoid this contact.
Oleksiak doesn’t have a history of suspension or fine in the NHL, so two games is probably about right here. VandeVelde didn’t leave the game after the hit and is not injured.
