Kyle Clifford to have Phone Hearing with NHL Department of Player Safety Today

Toronto Maple Leafs' forward Kyle Clifford is scheduled to have a phone hearing later today (May 3) with the NHL Department of Player Safety (DoPS). This comes in response to Clifford's "borderline violent" hit on Tampa Bay forward Ross Colton in the first period of Game 1 last night.

During Clifford's second shift of the game, he made a clean hit on Jan Rutta in the his offensive zone. The crowd jeered their approval, to which Clifford responded with a late hit from behind in the neutral zone. The hit itself was deemed to be boarding by seasoned NHL game officials Dan O'Rourke and Brian Pochmara. Clifford was assessed a five minute major penalty and a game misconduct for his hit on Colton.

Really, it should come as little surprise that Clifford has a hearing today. After all, every single game misconduct is reviewed by the DoPS, and with Clifford's history and reputation, George Paros deemed in worthy of a conversation.

The discipline, or lack thereof, that follows is yet to be seen. After all, Clifford's track record in against him. On the other hand, he was tossed from the game, and the league weighs suspensions in the playoffs more heavily than during the regular season (one playoff game is the equivalent of two regular season games).

Clifford could be handed a simple fine or a multi-game suspension. We will likely find out later today, but definitely before puck drop for Game 2 tomorrow evening.

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