St. Louis Blues winger Ryan Reaves has been suspended for three games without pay for his crushing hit on San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Tennyson earlier this week, the NHL announced on Wednesday night.
Reaves hit Tennyson from behind after the defenseman went behind the net in the San Jose zone to try and clear a puck. Tennyson was knocked onto his back and hit his head on the ice before being helped off by the training staff. Reaves will give his $18,145.17 game check to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund, according to ESPN.
The NHL Department of Player Safety released an explanatory video about the suspension, citing that Reaves checked Tennyson "dangerously into the glass" on the hit. The video also made it clear that it was Reaves' responsibility on that play to avoid contact, and that Tennyson was "never eligible to be checked" by Reaves.
Tennyson sat out of the game against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night, and the defenseman is still dealing with some "effects" of the hit, according to CSN Bay Area. Tennyson did not participate in the morning skate with the team, and coach Pete DeBoer said that Tennyson "just wasn't feeling great yesterday."
Tennyson likely will be out on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres, and his next chance to return after that will be a road game Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks. The Sharks finish the month with a matchup at home against the Canadiens before playing the Canucks in a home-and-home series. Reaves will now sit for games against the New York Rangers, Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes for the St. Louis Blues.
