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Kadri could face big suspension, offered in-person hearing

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Nazem Kadri retaliates after Jake DeBrusk checks Patrick Marleau and receives a penalty for the high check that sends DeBrusk to the ice.

UPDATE:

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Nazem Kadri’s been offered an in-person hearing for his ugly hit on Jake DeBrusk, making people wonder if we’ve seen Kadri for the last time during this Round 1 series.

An in-person hearing opens up the option for Kadri to be suspended for 5+ games, not that it would guarantee that would happen. If it were five-or-more, that would mean that Kadri could return no sooner than Round 2, if the Toronto Maple Leafs managed to get by the Boston Bruins.

Losing Kadri, a very valuable center (when he’s not losing his cool) would greatly reduce Toronto’s chances of avenging last year’s Round 1 loss to Boston. No doubt about it, this is unlikely history potentially repeating itself, as Kadri received a three-game suspension for going after Tommy Wingels during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

You can watch that hit in the video above this post’s headline. Kadri was likely riled up in part by an earlier hit by DeBrusk, who delivered a check on Patrick Marleau before Kadri’s cross-check to the head.

After the Bruins’ 4-1 win to tie the series at 1-1, NBC’s Keith Jones called for a 10-game suspension.

As far as DeBrusk’s knee-to-knee goes, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said he believed it was clean.

This exchange was the most explosive moment from Game 2, but things really started to get out of hand during the second period. Torey Krug and Connor Clifton also left the contest, while Jake Muzzin was able to return to action despite being bloodied, so we’ll see if Kadri’s not the only one who will miss some time. Just, in Kadri’s case, it would be because of a suspension.

Maple Leafs - Bruins Game 3 from Scotiabank Arena takes place Monday night at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN (Live stream)

More: Series preview

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.