The Flyers‘ final game of the season will in fact have an effect on how their 2016-17 season begins, as the NHL announced today that Flyers forward Brayden Schenn will be suspended for the first three regular-season games next fall for a charging call against Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie on Sunday.
(1/2) Philadelphia’s Brayden Schenn suspended 3 games for charging Washington’s T.J. Oshie. Video: https://t.co/b9bVwMOESN
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) April 26, 2016
(2/2) Schenn will serve his suspension during his first three 2016-2017 regular season games.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) April 26, 2016
The check was initially reviewed for both charging and for an illegal check to the head, but the suspension only cited charging. Schenn himself said earlier on Tuesday, prior to the ruling coming down, that he felt that the principal point of contact was with Oshie’s shoulder, and that contact with the head came after that.
Schenn said that he felt the first point of contact with Oshie was with the shoulder, head contact came after. Not intentional.
— Charlie O’Connor (@BSH_Charlie) April 26, 2016
The fact that “illegal check to the head” was not cited as part of Schenn’s punishment likely indicates that the NHL saw his claim here as accurate, and that Oshie’s head was not the principal point of contact.
However, the video does at least bring up contact to the head that occurred, and the fact that that contact came as a result of what was deemed charging is likely why Schenn got the book thrown at him here. The three-game punishment seems a bit stiff, but Schenn’s disciplinary history (one fine and a one-game suspension, both from 2013) was stated as a factor in the decision.
(And since this is everyone’s next question: no, I don’t have an answer as to why this or this weren’t reviewed by the Department of Player Safety. Yes, it’s very frustrating. What’s done is done, I guess.)
We don’t know exactly how much money Schenn will forfeit for the suspension, because we don’t know how much money Schenn — a restricted free agent — will make next year. Hopefully we’ll find out soon enough.
