UPDATE
Detroit’s Dylan Larkin has been suspended for one game for Roughing Tampa Bay’s Mathieu Joseph. https://t.co/xcYgB6dnjh
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 15, 2021
The video stays laser-focused on discussing what Larkin did because that’s exactly what the video is about and DoPS talking about whether Joseph’s hit was dirty or not opens a can of worms the department definitely doesn’t want to answer. Any hint that Joseph might have “deserved this” leads down an ugly path for the DoPS.
Unfortunately, by not discussing how dirty the Joseph hit was, the NHL Department of Player safety is essentially signing off on his hit. The precedent set here is dangerous without a second video explaining a choice to not give supplemental discipline in the case of the hit which caused what they correctly refer to as retaliation.
Last night’s 7-6 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning was frustrating in many ways. Among them was wondering what would have happened had the refs done their job correctly and immediately blown the play dead to call a penalty on Tampa’s Mathieu Joseph for a dangerous hit from behind on Dylan Larkin that sent him into the boards.
Perhaps the whistle would have turned off the part of Larkin’s brain that cause him to do this:
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin did not appreciate this hit by Lightning forward Mathieu Joseph and let him know immediately. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/iu8KlirWOy
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) October 15, 2021
As such, the right thing didn’t happen and now Larkin’s getting a call from the league:
Detroit’s Dylan Larkin will have a hearing today for Roughing Tampa Bay’s Mathieu Joseph.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 15, 2021
A hearing does not necessarily mean a suspension but that it’s being announced likely means that’s what’s coming. I don’t believe this account tweets out hearings for when fines are levied. That they didn’t mention it’s an in-person hearing offered it does indicate that a suspension for Larkin that would come from this would be fewer than five games.
On a personal fan note, I accept that Larkin can’t be allowed to simply haul off and punch players and that a suspension is reasonable, but I also feel the mishandling of the original non-call as part of what Larkin has come to expect from the refs in this league left him to feel that this was his only recourse to get people to stop cheap-shotting him like this.
