Edmonton forward Matt Hendricks will have a phone hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for a hit he delivered last night on Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
Hendricks was not penalized on the play, though he was immediately challenged to a fight by Logan Shaw.
He was asked about the hit after the game.
“I don’t hit dirty,” he said. “I’ve never been known to hit dirty. I thought it was a clean hit. I’m glad he came back and played. I’d feel bad if he was injured from that.”
He was also asked if the hit on Ekblad was in retaliation for a play earlier in the game when Panthers defenseman Erik Gudbranson had stepped up into Oilers forward Taylor Hall.
“No, it wasn’t,” Hendricks said. “That’s what I do. That’s my game. I’ve got to forecheck hard. I don’t want to talk about another player, but he was in a position he could have avoided, in my opinion.