On Wednesday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Florida Panthers forward Jesse Puljujarvi will have a hearing on Thursday in regard to an illegal check to the head on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee.
The incident happened during the third period of Tuesday night’s game between the Sunshine State rivals. A little before the nine-minute mark of the frame, Puljujarvi blindsided Chaffee with a high hit while Chaffee was trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone.
Chaffee laid down on the ice while a donnybrook broke out between the two teams. While a couple of fights broke out, Puljujarvi was handed an immediate match penalty for the hit. Chaffee left the game and didn’t return due to an upper-body injury.
The Lightning went on to win the game, 5-1. Puljujarvi played 13:45 across 18 shifts, registering a shot on goal.
Across eight NHL seasons, the Swedish winger has never faced supplemental discipline.
It was just Puljujarvi’s fifth game of the season with the Panthers. He started the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the team ended up terminating Puljujarvi’s contract after clearing waivers in February. The 26-year-old then signed with the Panthers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, on a professional tryout. He then signed a contract for the remainder of the season last month.
Puljujarvi, along with Matt Kiersted and Rasmus Asplund, were sent back down to the Checkers on Wednesday to join the team prior to their Calder Cup Playoffs run. If Puljujarvi were to be suspended by the DoPS, he wouldn’t serve his suspension until his next call-up to the NHL.
In 31 total games this season, Puljujarvi has scored four goals and six assists for 10 points.
The Panthers (42-31-4) will finish third in the Atlantic Division, getting set for a postseason edition of the Battle of Florida against the Lightning.
