Kevin Bahl gave Ryan Huska and the Calgary Flames an immediate discipline concern after a dangerous hit sent Aatu Räty into the end boards.
The play carried the kind of ingredients that can draw attention from NHL Player Safety. Räty didn't have the puck, wasn't positioned to protect himself and took the contact near the boards.
Bahl closed from behind the play and delivered the hit after Räty had already moved the puck. The Vancouver forward had almost no chance to brace for the contact.
That matters. This wasn't a battle for possession where two players arrived together, and it wasn't a puck carrier getting caught with his head down.
Bahl was assessed a minor penalty on the sequence. Räty later left the game, adding another layer to what the league could examine when reviewing the contact.
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The video is difficult to dismiss because Räty's body position never gives him much opportunity to absorb the hit. He gets driven hard toward the end boards before going down.
Kevin Bahl could face the season's first suspension
With the regular season just opening, Bahl could now become the first player suspended this season if NHL Player Safety decides the contact crossed the line from late into suspendable.
The biggest issue is timing. Räty had already released the puck, leaving Bahl with a decision to finish the contact or pull away from a player who was no longer involved in possession.
That puts Huska in an uncomfortable spot immediately. Calgary could be forced to adjust its blue line if Bahl becomes unavailable, turning one reckless sequence into an early roster problem.
The Flames also don't need one of their defensemen creating avoidable discipline questions around the crease and end boards. Bahl's size makes every contact more noticeable when an opponent is left vulnerable.
For Vancouver, the concern shifts directly to Räty's availability. Manny Malhotra could be looking at a lineup decision if the forward isn't ready for the Canucks' next game.
The league will have to decide whether the minor penalty was enough. The lack of puck possession, Räty's vulnerable position and the force sending him into the boards all give the sequence a much larger consequence than 2 minutes.
If supplemental discipline follows, Bahl won't just have taken an unnecessary penalty. He'll have put Calgary's blue line under pressure before the season has had a chance to settle.
Should Kevin Bahl be suspended for his late hit on Aatu Räty?
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