Calvin Thurkauf, a Blue Jackets prospect and captain of the Swiss team at the World Juniors, has been suspended one game by the IIHF for slew-footing Sweden’s Rasmus Dahlin on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at the end (20:00) of the first period when both players were along the boards and had light shoulder-to-shoulder contact. Thurkauf hit the Swedish player behind him, Dahlin, first backwards with his arm, followed by a kick with his foot. Dahlin subsequently fell on the ice.
The player explained in the hearing today that he lost his emotional control for that short moment due to previous incidents, that he did not want to injure the opponent and that he acknowledges the misconduct.
The Disciplinary Panel determined that the player’s action constituted a slew-foot (IIHF Rule 160) and that it was a dangerous and unsportsmanlike behaviour, which according to the Rule Book should have resulted in a match penalty. Fortunately, Dahlin was not seriously injured and was able to continue playing.
Thurkauf, taken by Columbus in the seventh round of this year’s draft, will now miss Switerland’s next game -- tomorrow, against Denmark.
The 19-year-old winger is enjoying a good campaign otherwise. Thurkauf, who plies his trade for WHL Kelowna, currently sits second on the team in scoring with 31 points through 28 games, and had three through Switzerland’s first two games of the WJC.