Jets' Mark Scheifele: 4-Game Suspension for Hit on Jake Evans Was 'Pretty Excessive'
Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele took issue Friday with getting suspended four games for his hit on Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans during Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.
According to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, Scheifele addressed the suspension during a press conference, saying: "I think it was pretty excessive. I wasn't expecting that. I was pretty shocked. But that's their decision."
The hit occurred during the closing seconds of Game 1 just as Evans scored an empty-net goal on a wraparound to extend the Montreal lead to 5-3.
Evans had to be stretchered off the ice, and he is out indefinitely with a concussion, per Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette.
Scheifele, who skated the length of the ice before delivering the hit, was given a five-minute charging penalty and a game misconduct.
According to Wyshynski, the NHL concluded that Scheifele was "conceding the empty-net goal" and instead decided to deliver a "hard, violent check to an opponent with the outcome of both the play and the game already having been decided."
The NHL also called it "a high, predatory hit."
Scheifele disagreed with the league's assessment (via Sportsnet):
The 28-year-old veteran also pointed to his history as evidence that he had no ill intent:
The result is what sucks. Having a guy hurt is what no one wants in this league. The league made their decision. I don't agree with it. No one knows what was going through my mind except myself. I tried to portray that to the league. I keep coming back to my record. I had 12 penalty minutes this year. I had one boarding penalty in my entire career. I haven't had a charging penalty. I don't think I've had more than frickin' 20 hits a year. My intention is not to injure. It's to prevent a goal.
Jets head coach Paul Maurice agreed with Scheifele, saying:
He's a clean offensive player. I looked at that hit and I used the word 'clean,' and the reason that I used it is because the things that I call 'dirty' in a hit weren't there for me. I don't agree with the distance traveled argument, because there's no other option in that distance traveled--on a straight line, meeting at a point of contact.
Regardless of Scheifele's intent, the Jets will be without one of their best players for the next four games, which could conceivably mean he is out for the remainder of the season if the Jets are eliminated before Game 6 of the series.
During the regular season, Scheifele led the Jets in assists with 42 and points with 63. He was also tied for second on the team in goals with 21.
His 63 points were the ninth-most of any player in the NHL during the regular season as well.
In five playoff games this season, including a four-game sweep of the Edmonton Oilers in the first round and one game against Montreal in the second round, Scheifele has two goals and three assists for five points.
With Scheifele out for four games and the Jets facing a 1-0 series deficit, they face an uphill battle in terms of taking the series from Montreal.
Game 2 will take place Friday night in Winnipeg, and Scheifele will be eligible to return for Game 6, if necessary, which is scheduled for June 11.
