On Friday the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced that Los Angeles Kings defensemen Kurtis MacDermid has been suspended for two games for an illegal elbow to the head of Philadelphia's Ivan Provorov during the Kings 5-3 win over the Flyers on New Years Eve.
Los Angeles' Kurtis MacDermid has been suspended for two games for an illegal check to the head on Philadelphia's Ivan Provorov. https://t.co/jLLQQq9dlO— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 3, 2020
MacDermid laid a heavy hit to Provorov before spilling into and over the boards. The NHL deemed the head contact as 'avoidable.'
While Provorov wasn't injured on the play, nor was a penalty called following the hit, the issue of player safety always comes into question with hits like this, as the situation obviously could have been a lot worse.
See the hit here;
Close up of hit on Ivan Provorov, that will have a hearing with @NHLPlayerSafety Friday. Poor approach and leading with his left side/elbow causes head to be picked and MacDermid to go flying into bench. Provorov in hockey stance. Officials deemed this was not penalty worthy. pic.twitter.com/dhMJZspjlt— NHL Player Safety Mod (@NHLSafetyMod) January 1, 2020
