The NHL suspended Pavel Buchnevich for cross-checking controversial Tom Wilson

When the Rangers and Capitals played on Wednesday night, Pavel Buchnevich was again in the spotlight of the Rangers. However, the reason he was in the spotlight was far different than on Monday.

In Monday’s game of Buchnevich, Capitals striker Tom Wilson hit his head while lying on the ice after the game. This led to a shootout in which Wilson hit Rangers star Artemis Panarin in the ice and injured him. Panarin is out until the end of the season, but the fine for Wilson was only a $ 5,000 fine. He is not suspended.

As a result of the decision of the head of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety George Parros, the Rangers decided on Wednesday to take matters into their own hands. There were some in the first period six fights involving 12 different players and a 100-minute penalty. In the second period, things got uglier, like Buchnevich, who was in the early stages of the fight fighting for tits. It culminated when Buchnevich cross-checked Mantha in the face, drawing a heavy penalty and misconduct in games for his actions.

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Now Buchnevich was heard from the Player Safety Department and it turned out he was will serve as a one-match suspension.

Make no mistake: Buchnevich deserved to be suspended. His blow to Mantha must have been dirty.

But the irony of this is that if Parros had just wanted to suspend Wilson, as he justified his action, this whole situation could probably have been avoided. Parros only needed to suspend Wilson for one game and the Rangers probably wouldn’t have entered the game on Wednesday seeking revenge. Instead, the players did justice to their hands. This led to things getting out of control with three fights just one second in the Capitals-Rangers game on Wednesday.

Buchnevich’s suspension was not the only punishment imposed on the Rangers on Thursday either. The NHL fined the team a whopping $ 250,000 for a statement they issued calling on Parros to give up his role in the Player Safety Department.

“While we don’t expect our clubs to agree with every decision by the Player Safety Department, the measure by which the Rangers expressed their disagreement was unacceptable,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. in a league statement. “It’s terribly unfair to question George Parros’ professionalism and commitment to his role and the Player Safety Department.”