What Happened
The NHL department of player safety announced on Sunday that Boston Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov has been fined $5,000, which is the maximum amount permitted under the collective bargaining agreement. The disciplinary action stems from an altercation in the second period of Saturday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks. During a scrum near centre ice, Zadorov struck Chicago blueliner Alex Vlasic while Vlasic was on the ice. Officials and Chicago forward Ryan Donato intervened following the punch. Zadorov was assessed a 10-minute misconduct penalty and ejected from the match, which the Bruins ultimately won 5-4 in overtime.
Key Details
- Fine amount: $5,000 maximum under the collective bargaining agreement.
- Player penalized: Nikita Zadorov, Boston Bruins defenceman.
- Player targeted: Alex Vlasic, Chicago Blackhawks defenceman.
- Game details: Saturday's contest ended in a 5-4 overtime victory for Boston.
- Penalty assessed: 10-minute misconduct and game ejection.
What It Means
Zadorov continues to accumulate significant penalty minutes, leading the NHL with 47 PIMs through 14 games this season after pacing the league in the category over the previous two years with 297 combined minutes across 162 appearances.