Rangers forward Andre Deveaux was suspended Friday for three games without pay for an illegal check to the head on Florida's Tomas Fleischmann Wednesday night, the NHL announced.
Andre Deveaux Suspended 3 Games For Hit On Tomas Fleischmann
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Deveaux hit Fleischmann in the neutral zone as the two approached each other from opposite directions. Fleischmann slid the puck past Deveaux and tried to avoid contact, but Deveaux stuck out his left leg and elbow. The elbow connected with Fleischmann’s jaw, knocking him to the ice.
Deveaux has a clean record and Fleischmann eventually returned to the game without any apparent injuries, but as Brendan Shanahan, the league's Vice President of Player Safety, explained in a video posted on NHL.com, Deveaux is being punished because he had to deliberately reach to make contact.
“Despite the fact that Deveaux conceded this was a dangerous reflex and instinct, when we looked at all the evidence surrounding the play, we agreed with his assertion that there was no malicious intent,” Shanahan said. “Regardless, the head was the principle point of contact, and the reckless targeting was evident due to the fact that Deveaux had to extend considerably to make such contact.”
Deveaux was assessed a 10-minute major penalty and ejected from the game following the play. To fill Deveaux's spot on the roster, the Rangers recalled Carl Hagelin and John Mitchell from their AHL affiliate, according to the New York Daily News.
The play, and Shanahan’s explanation, is below:
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