Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri has been offered an in-person hearing via Zoom with the NHL department of player safety for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues defenceman Justin Faulk.
By offering a virtual in-person hearing, the NHL has the option to suspend Kadri more than five games for the hit. The date and time of the hearing are still to be determined.
The hit took place midway through the third period of Game 2 of the first-round series between the Avalanche and Blues on Wednesday night. As Faulk went to take a shot on goal in the slot, Kadri hit Faulk with his shoulder, striking the defenceman’s head.
Faulk was slow to get up but was eventually able to skate off on his own power and go to the Blues’ locker room. He did not return to the game.
After the game, Faulk’s teammates Luke Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly called out Kadri for the hit and his history of dangerous plays.
“The guy can’t control himself. In the playoffs he’s a repeat offender, bad hits,” Schenn said. “He’s got a guy in a vulnerable position and picks nothing but the head… We need to focus on Games 3-4 and the league will take care of those guys’ hits.”
“That’s a very dangerous hit,” O’Reilly added. “It’s got to be a suspension.”
Kadri has been suspended five times since 2013, including in the post-season.
During the 2019 playoffs as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kadri was suspended for the remainder of the first round against the Boston Bruins for a cross-check on Jake DeBrusk. The Leafs lost the series in seven games and Kadri was dealt to the Avalanche in the off-season.
