Devils Timo Meier Suspended by NHL Department of Player Safety, Full Explanation

It’ll be an early Thanksgiving for Timo Meier. The New Jersey Devils forward received a one-game suspension from the Department of Player Safety for an illegal cross-check to the face of Nashville Predators forward, Zachary L’Heureux.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Meier will forfeit $45,833.33. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred in the third period of Monday night’s tilt, in which the Devils defeated the Predators 5-2.

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After Predators goaltender Scott Wedgewood covered up the puck, L’Heureux took exception with Meier’s presence in proximity to Nashville’s goaltender and engaged in shoving with the Devils forward. In retaliation, Meier inadvertently cross-checked L’Heureux in the face, which forced him to leave the third period and not return.

Meier received a five-minute major for the cross-check, as well as a game misconduct, and was tossed from the remainder of the contest. The Devils forward accrued one point on five shots in 13:37 of ice time. He was also tagged with 17 penalty minutes, including a tripping infraction early in the second period.

The explanation of Meier’s suspension by the Department of Player Safety is as follows:

“On Monday night in New Jersey, Devils forward Timo Meier was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for forcibly cross-checking Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux in the face at a stoppage in play. As the video shows, the puck is frozen by the Predators goaltender for a whistle as L’Heureux pushes Meier away from the net front. After the shove, Meier delivers a cross-check to L’Heureux’s chest in response. Then, after this initial cross-check, Meier draws his stick back again with both hands and delivers a second two-handed blow with his stick that makes direct contact with L’Heureux’s head, causing him to fall to the ice. This is cross-checking.

“It is important to note that Meier is in control of this play at all times, and is attempting to deliver a second cross-check to an opponent after the whistle. This is not a case in which two players are mutually engaged with their sticks up high. Nor is it a where the blow rides up a player’s body before making contact with the head. Players are responsible for their stick at all times, and are not excused from their actions just because a blow lands in an unintended place on the opponent or with unintended force. This remains a high cross-check delivered after the whistle was blown that makes direct contact with an opponent’s head with sufficient force to merit supplemental discipline. To summarize, this is cross-checking. Meier has been fined once during his 565 game NHL career. The Department of player safety has suspended Timo Meier for one game.”

The video of the Meier cross-check can be found here.

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