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Report: No fine or suspension for hit that injured Flyers’ Gostisbehere

It looks like nothing but an injury will come from the hit that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov delivered on Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere during Saturday’s 4-2 Philly win.

There was no penalty on the play during the contest itself, and David Isaac of the Courier Post reports that the hit will not result in a fine or a suspension.

(Watch the check in question in the video above this post’s headline.)

The Flyers haven’t provided an additional update on Sunday after announcing that he wouldn’t return to last night’s game because of an upper-body injury. Gostisbehere joins Nolan Patrick as Flyers with upper-body issues, while fellow defenseman Andrew MacDonald is sidelined as well.

Such injury issues could open the door for Samuel Morin.

This is that much more unfortunate because things looked to be up in a big way for “Ghost Bear” (or is it “Ghostbear?”). His possession stats have been positive, and he’s already scored a whopping 13 points in just 11 regular-season games.

Gostisbehere has been an integral part of the Flyers’ well-oiled machine of a power play, collecting eight of his 13 points on the man advantage. Flyers coach Dave Hakstol wasn’t happy with the hit, as Isaac reported last night:

“It’s a tough hit. It’s one that’s got to be looked at,” Hakstol said. “It’s a hit in the numbers and it’s a tough hit for our player.”

Plenty of others believed that it should have at least drawn a penalty.

While Komarov explained to TSN’s Mark Masters that it was a “normal situation” as far as the question of “seeing the numbers” on Ghost goes, he did concede that a penalty might have been appropriate.

Back in Feb. 2016, Komarov received a three-game suspension for elbowing Ryan McDonagh of the New York Rangers. He’s been on the other side of a questionable hit, too, missing multiple games in 2014 with a concussion.

This situation will not factor into his suspension history, whether Flyers fans believe that it should or not.
James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.