Many expected it to happen and now it has. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety confirmed that Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will have a hearing for his hit on Caps forward Marcus Johansson in Game 3.
After Brooks Orpik was suspended three games for this hit on Olli Maatta in Game 2, many people are expecting a similar outcome for Letang. It’s important to note that there are certain similarities between the two hits, but there are also some key differences.
Both victims definitely took shots to the head, there’s no doubt about that, but to say that the hits are identical isn’t accurate. First, although Letang’s hit appears to be late (0.6 seconds after the puck is gone is considered late), it isn’t as late as Orpik’s hit on Maatta. Another key factor to consider is that unlike Maatta, Johansson returned to the game.
Letang was given a two-minute penalty for interference on the play.
Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang will have a hearing today for interference on Washington’s Marcus Johansson.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 3, 2016
TSN hockey insider Bob McKenzie breaks it down perfectly:
FWIW, Letang on MJ90 was 19 digital frames from release of puck to contact. 30 frames in 1 second. So .63 of a second.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 3, 2016
By comparison, Orpik on Maatta was 31 digital frames, or a full second and a bit. That was extraordinarily late by NHL standards.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 3, 2016
In many respects, it's the opposite of Orpik. Orpik's primary infraction was interference, not rule 48 (head contact) violation.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 3, 2016
If Letang is suspended, it is much more likely to be on basis of rule 48 head contact as opposed to interference.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 3, 2016
A decision is expected to be made later on today.