Department of Player Safety makes an example of Jason Spezza for hit on Neal Pionk

The NHL's Department of Player Safety has delivered a stiff suspension to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jason Spezza for kneeing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk in the head on Sunday night, causing injury.

The league deemed the hit as a retaliatory and predatory hit on an opponent who was in a vulnerable position, putting the onus on Spezza to recognize that and pull back on the hit, which he did not do. As a result, Spezza was suspended for 6 games.

Another detail that was looked at by the Department of Player Safety was the fact that Spezza was livid about the knee-on-knee collision by Pionk that injured Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin moments earlier and Spezza also acknowledged that he knew it was Pionk that he was targeting with the dangerous hit.

Pionk did not miss a shift and finished the game, but was placed in concussion protocol by the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday afternoon, which likely weighed in on the decision to suspend Spezza for more than 5 games.

According to the official report, the Spezza camp disagreed with the DoPS during the hearing. The plan appears to be that Spezza will appeal the decision.

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