Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen has received an automatic one-game suspension from the NHL following his second game misconduct penalty within a short span of three games. The suspension was handed down by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Sunday.
The first incident occurred on November 18th during a game against the New York Islanders, where Rantanen was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding defenseman Alexander Romanov late in the third period. Romanov sustained an upper-body injury on the play and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Islanders coach Patrick Roy was visibly upset by the hit. He yelled at Rantanen as he headed to the locker room. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan defended Rantanen, suggesting that Rantanen's skate was clipped, causing him to lose balance before the contact.
The second infraction took place on Saturday in a game against the Calgary Flames. Rantanen was ejected after a hit on Flames forward Matt Coronato, resulting in a major penalty for boarding. Coronato left the ice with a cut on his nose that required stitches but later returned to the game. Following the hit, Rantanen also received penalties for fighting. Flames head coach Ryan Huska expressed his disapproval of the hit.
According to NHL rule 23.6, also known as the Physical Infractions category, a player who receives two game misconduct penalties within 41 consecutive games will be automatically suspended for one game. The league issued a statement detailing the automatic suspension.
This marks the first suspension of Rantanen's 10-year NHL career. In addition to the suspension, Rantanen was also fined $2,000 on Friday for diving/embellishment. Despite his reputation as a scorer, Rantanen currently leads the league with 57 penalty minutes.
Rantanen will be ineligible to play in the Stars' upcoming game against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. This is a significant loss for the Stars, as Rantanen has been a key player this season, with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 22 games. He recently signed an eight-year, $96-million contract extension.
