NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has confirmed the suspension of Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman for an incident involving rough play, but slightly reduced the penalty’s duration. Originally set at 10 games, Hartman’s suspension has been shortened to eight games after his in-person appeal. The incident, which took place on February 1, involved Hartman roughing Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle, resulting in cuts and bruises above Stutzle’s left eye that required five stitches. Although the reduction was made, Bettman emphasized that the suspension serves as a crucial wake-up call for Hartman, urging him to reconsider his gameplay and make meaningful changes. Bettman agreed to the reduction as he found the initial penalty to be disproportionate compared to Hartman’s previous three-game suspension.
This marks Hartman’s fifth career suspension and his fourth within 22 months, highlighting a troubling pattern. With seven goals and 10 assists across 48 games this season, Hartman will be clear to resume play when the Minnesota Wild face off against the Seattle Kraken on March 4.
This case is notable as it’s been over three years since Bettman last opted to reduce a suspension penalty upon appeal. The previous instance took place in December 2021 concerning Jason Spezza, which was the only case out of the prior eight where Bettman found the initial length deduction necessary. Despite reducing Hartman’s suspension, Bettman remained firm on the validity of the penalty, considering Hartman’s repeated offenses, the vulnerability of the opposing player, and the deliberate nature of the action deserving of a significant suspension.
During the faceoff on February 1, Stutzle was in a vulnerable position, crouched low to secure the puck. Hartman, using his forearm, shoved Stutzle down, which led to his ejection with a match penalty. In his defense, Hartman argued that the motion was unintentional, claiming he was trying to regain his balance. However, this argument was dismissed by Bettman, as revealed in a statement released by the NHL on Monday.
The NHL Players Association appealed the suspension on February 5, leading to Hartman’s meeting with Bettman on February 14. “Given the thousands of faceoffs each NHL season, the absence of incidents like this substantiates my conclusion that Hartman’s actions were not merely accidental but rather deliberate,” Bettman asserted.
