Dustin Byfuglien has avoided discipline yet again.
The Department of Player Safety announced on Tuesday that there will not be supplemental discipline for Byfuglien following a high hit on Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher on Sunday.
Many, including Byfuglien, thought that this hit would result in a suspension. That’s in part due to the fact that Byfuglien has already received warnings for hits this season, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
One of those warnings was likely a hit on the Blues’ Jay Boumeester and the other on the Wild’s Jason Pominville. He was also handed a four-game suspension late last season, which he promptly followed up with a questionable play on Anaheim’s Corey Perry after the whistle during a playoff game.
Despite all of the history, there will not be any suspension, but it’s important to note that a history of questionable hits, warnings or suspensions is not a factor in the league determining if a suspension is warranted. History only comes into play when determining the length of the suspension. The infraction is either suspend-able or it is not. It does not become more of an infraction because a player’s nameplate reads Torres instead of Datsyuk
Nonetheless, the Teflon Jet walks again. Watch the explanation from the Department of Player Safety below.
Good work by Cheveldayoff and all representing Byfuglien in today's hearing. Made a sound case hip on hands is what spun Gallagher around.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) November 3, 2015
