Toronto Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul was suspended two games without pay by the NHL’s department of player safety Thursday afternoon as punishment for his hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman.
Based on his average annual salary, Lupul must forfeit $45,945.94. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Early in the third period of the Maple Leafs’ 4-2 win over the Lightning Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre, Lupul checked Hedman in the neutral zone after the 6’6″ blue-liner played the puck; the principle point of contact appeared to be Hedman’s head.
Lupul was dealt a two-minute minor penalty for an illegal check to the head.
Hedman was shaken up on the play and taken to the dressing room but later returned to the game.
“By no means did I go after him and try and hit him in the head,” said Lupul, who entered Thursday’s hearing with a clean suspension record. “I was backchecking, and he kind of cut to the middle at the end…. I wasn’t even truly tracking him to hit him, and he just came back into me.”
Lupul had a goal and an assist in the victory, and in two contests since returning from a broken arm, the 29-year-old has three goals and an assist.
Wednesday’s win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Leafs, who look to make it two in a row Thursday as they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Sportsnet Ontario starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Earlier Thursday, the Maple Leafs recalled forward Ryan Hamilton from the Toronto Marlies.
Lupul will next be available for the Leafs on Monday, when the team plays the Bruins in Boston.
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