Will Cuylle caught Dylan Guenther from behind in the Rangers' 4-2 win over Utah today, and the Utah bench wasn't happy about it.
Hits from behind are exactly the kind of play Player Safety reviews closely. Whether this one earns a phone call is now the question.
Utah had every reason to be upset. Guenther has been their hottest player, with three goals and five points through three games, all of those goals on the power play.
He's 23 and carries a $7,142,857 cap hit. Losing him for any stretch would hurt Andre Tourigny's group badly.
There's been no word on Guenther's condition after the play.
In the clip, Cuylle catches Guenther from behind, and the Utah players make their displeasure obvious right away.
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Player Safety must decide between a fine and a suspension for Cuylle
Plays like this often end in a fine, especially when the player isn't hurt and the contact isn't extreme.
A suspension becomes more likely if the league sees a defenceless player and avoidable contact. That's the line Player Safety will be weighing.
Cuylle, 24, carries a $3,900,000 cap hit and has two assists in four games. This one will be judged on its own.
A fine is the floor here. Hits from behind are the plays everyone says they want out of the game, and a suspension would send a clearer message than a cheque.
A fine for this is like a speeding ticket in a school zone. It stings, but the next driver still speeds.
The Rangers improve to 3-1-0 and host the Islanders on Tuesday. Utah falls to 2-1-0 and visits New Jersey the same night.
Mike Sullivan will want Cuylle in the lineup against the Islanders. Whether he gets him may depend on a call from the league office.
Should Will Cuylle be suspended for the hit from behind on Dylan Guenther?
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