AJ Spellacy's night against the Blues ended early Thursday, and the Blackhawks prospect now has an NHL review hanging over his camp.
The young forward was ejected with a game misconduct during a 1-0 preseason loss in St. Louis.
Blues forward Ross Johnston didn't let up when officials stepped in and tied the 20-year-old up. He then crossed the line, and that's the part that earned him the gate.
Johnston finished with six penalty minutes. Spellacy finished with 15, plus an early shower.
Because of the misconduct, the play gets an automatic look from the league. A fine is on the table, and so is a suspension.
The timing couldn't be worse. These two teams see each other again Saturday, less than 48 hours later.
How's that for a first impression?
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A major suspension is already being proposed, and fans are furious
Chicago took Spellacy in the third round of the 2024 draft, and he has yet to make his NHL debut.
He spent last season with OHL Windsor, where he put up 32 points in 51 games.
He also piled up 63 penalty minutes there, which tells you exactly what kind of edge the Hawks drafted.
Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Spellacy was feeling confident about his chances heading into camp.
He logged 8:34 on Thursday and didn't register a shot before his night was over.
The ejection was deserved. Whatever Johnston did first, a 20-year-old competing for a job can't hand the officials that kind of decision.
It's like acing a job interview, nailing the handshake, then snapping at the receptionist on the way out.
Plenty of fans online sided with him anyway, arguing that Johnston pulled him in before the contact.
The game itself belonged to St. Louis. Calle Rosen scored the only goal, and Jordan Binnington turned aside all 17 shots he faced.
Arvid Soderblom kept Chicago close with 35 saves at the other end, on a night the Hawks were badly outshot.
Jeff Blashill now has to decide whether Spellacy dresses Saturday. The league may make that call for him first.
Should the NHL suspend AJ Spellacy for his ejection against the Blues?
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