New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal has been fined $5,000, the classic “maximum allowed under the CBA” for his crosscheck to the head of Jan Rutta in Game 5 vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The fine is not news nor unexpected, so the main takeaway is that he will be available to play in Game 6. You never truly know how these things will go when the NHL Department of [air quotes] Player Safety [end air quotes] is involved.
Given the context of Barzal’s offense — it was part of an on-going altercation or “battle” in the parlance of our times, rather than a blindside predatory hit — a fine sounds consistent with some of the recent savagery discipline in these playoffs.