With the rest of the sports world focused on Super Bowl LVIII, NHL fans are still talking about an incident that happened during the Ottawa Senators’ win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
In case you missed it, Senators’ forward Ridley Greig ripped a slap shot into the Maple Leafs’ empty net at the end of the game. Following the goal—which many saw as disrespectful—Leaf’s defenseman Morgan Rielly went after Greig, cross-checking him in the head along the glass.
Greig went down after the hit, but has since been back at practice and does not appear to be injured. Rielly, on the other hand, has a date with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Tuesday morning—an in person hearing, which means he will face at least a five game suspension.
As far as unwritten rules of hockey go, empty net slap shots are uncommon. Most players don’t see the moment as an opportunity to “make a statement” to the other team, only a way to secure the win.
In many ways, what Greig did was silly and unnecessary. Maybe even disrespectful.
But is it really that big of a deal to slap the puck into the net? Was Morgan Rielly’s response an overreaction? Was he within his rights to defend an “unwritten rule” of hockey?
I asked five Nashville Predators players to give their take on the situation.
Jeremy Lauzon
“Everybody knows, you don’t have to do a slap shot like that. I don’t think the kid tried to be rude or something. I think it was just in the heat of the moment. It was exciting to get the win against Toronto, playing for the Senators, you know? And I think Rielly was just in emotion, trying to step up for his teammates.”
Cody Glass
“I thought [the empty netter] was kind of funny, to be honest. But at the same time, I feel like it was the right response. A hit in the head? Probably not a great response, but obviously saying something or creating a scrum. You’re losing and someone shows you up like that? That would piss me off, too.”
Cole Smith
“At some point, there’s a respect factor, right? Especially with empty net goals. You’re trying to solidify the game, I get if there’s high emotions or something like that, but I feel like there’s a respect factor there. If you’re going to do something a little different or out of the ordinary, you can expect something out of the ordinary coming back.”
Luke Evangelista
“I’m sure you can expect something there, but a cross-check to face? I don’t know. There’s gotta be like a happy medium. You knew there would be a whole scrum there or something, but I’m not sure if he’s expecting a cross-check to the face. I mean, usually guys have a pretty good grasp on the unwritten rules, but that’s kind of a new one. I haven’t really seen that one before. Maybe a little gray area?”
Luke Schenn
“I thought [the empty netter] was ridiculous, honestly. I’m on Rielly’s side on this one. Obviously it was an accident to cross-check him in the face. I don’t think there’s any intent there, but you’re absolutely going to be aware of that. It was a young kid with not very much experience in the league. Maybe he needs some perspective there not to do that.”
“Also, you’re not going to turn away and go to the bench when a guy takes a slap shot in your crease like that. There was some frustration with losing the game and giving up an empty netter anyway. There’s just certain things in the game where you’ve signed up for the logo you wear on the front. And you don’t want to be disrespected like that.”
— Featured image via Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire —
