Kadri delivers concussion, suspended four games

While the four game suspension to Nazem Kadri was a surprise, given he is a repeat offender, it's acceptable to the Hockey Central panel who believes the bigger problem is players turning into hits to the head.

A week after Nazem Kadri was suspended by his own team for three games, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward was dealt a ban of another kind.

Kadri was suspended four games by NHL’s department of player safety Wednesday for delivering an illegal check to the head of Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Fraser Monday night.

Kadri’s offence will cost him $141,463.41. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

With 9:06 remaining in the third period of the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 loss to the Oilers, Kadri delivered a high hit to Fraser and served a minor penalty for an illegal check to the head.

Fraser had to be helped off the ice and did not return to the game. He suffered a concussion from the hit and is going through the appropriate protocol.

“He’s doing well,” Oilers coach Todd Nelson told reporters Tuesday.

Edmonton captain Andrew Ference retaliated less than four minutes after the Fraser hit by slamming Kadri into the boards.

Kadri is a repeat offender in the eyes of player safety, having served a three-game suspension in November 2013 for running Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom.

“It’s the repeat-offence thing. The probation time is like 18 months, and I’m at 17, so another tough break,” Kadri told reporters after the 15-minute hearing. “I just hope he’s all right and gets back to 100 per cent.

“No matter if I’m on the sidelines or on the ice, I’m just going to bring that positive mentality.”

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