n many cases, NHL suspension videos lean toward rule 48 regarding head shots. You don’t see rule 49 come out of the woodwork very often – in fact, I can’t recall it off the top of my head, unless Chris Pronger‘s infamous “stomp” falls under that category – but we got an example tonight. The league handed Jeff Skinner a two-game suspension for “kicking” St. Louis Blues forward Scott Nichol.
Skinner will be $9,729.72 poorer because of the game checks he’s losing, although the damage would have been greater if he had a prior history. It’s been an odd season for the reigning Calder Trophy winner, as he’s shown the skill to prove that wasn’t a fluke yet he’s dealt with concussion issues that marred a chunk of his sophomore year.
