Suspension Incoming as Erik Cernak Elbowed Buffalo Sabres Captain Okposo (VIDEO)
Tampa Bay Lightning D Erik Cernak has a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety on Friday for an elbow to the head of Sabres captain Kyle Okposo.
Hearings like this almost always result in a suspension, so it's a matter of how 'many rather' than 'if.'
Cernak was not assessed any penalty on the play. Most concerning, is the fact that Okposo has a deep history with concussions, most recently in 2018.
Tampa Bay's Erik Cernak will have a hearing today for Elbowing Buffalo's Kyle Okposo. NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) February 24, 2023
The play in question:
No penalty on the ice, brutal missed call. But have to imagine Cernak receives some discipline? Kyle Okposo has a long history of head injuries and this kind of hit has to be taken out of the game completely. pic.twitter.com/QXXlAK5Noh 2 Goalies 1 Mic (@2Goalies1Mic) February 24, 2023
In 2019, Cernak was suspended for two games for elbowing Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, so he's a man with a rap sheet:
Erik Cernak gets away with an elbow on Rasmus Dahlin pic.twitter.com/tMOIked0X2 Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) November 26, 2019
| POLL | ||
FÉVRIER 24 | 172 ANSWERS Suspension Incoming as Erik Cernak Elbowed Buffalo Sabres Captain Okposo (VIDEO) Does Cernak deserve a suspension for this play? If so, how many games? | ||
| Yes, 1-2 games | 58 | 33.7 % |
| Yes, 3+ games | 72 | 41.9 % |
| No suspension at all | 42 | 24.4 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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HIER
6 JUIN 2026
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| B | P | PTS | ||
| Mitch Marner | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Taylor Hall | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Martinook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jackson Blake | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Seth Jarvis | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | - | - | |
| STATS COMPLÈTES | ||||