Brett Howden, Jayden Struble, the Golden Knights and the Predators are at the centre of a head-contact debate that has fans split down the middle.
Struble's head appeared to be the first point of contact on Howden's hit, and that alone could put the play in front of the NHL's Department of Player Safety.
It happened tonight in Nashville, where Vegas rolled to a 5-2 win over the Predators.
That's the argument for a review. When the head takes the first contact, the league usually wants a closer look, no matter how the play developed.
The other side points to Struble's posture. One sharp breakdown said his chin was extended "like it's across the room plugged into a 10 foot phone charger."
The same take summed it up with an old hockey rule: "Nose over toes. Chin over shin. You reach, I'll teach."
In other words, a player who leans that far forward with his head down puts himself in a vulnerable spot before the hit even lands.
What NHL Player Safety would weigh on the Howden hit
That's exactly the kind of detail Player Safety weighs. The league looks at whether the head was the main point of contact, and whether the player getting hit changed his position right before impact.
If Struble dropped his head or lunged into the play, Howden's case gets much stronger. If the contact was avoidable, the Vegas forward is the one with questions to answer.
Struble is new to Nashville after his time in Montreal, and the Predators will want to know he's okay before anything else.
Review it, but don't expect a suspension. The head was hit first, but a defenceman leaning in that far gives the hitter very little room to adjust.
It's like stepping into a crosswalk while staring at your phone. The driver still has to brake, but you didn't make it easy.
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Andrew Brunette's Predators host San Jose on Thursday, while Ryan Craig's Golden Knights host Calgary the same night.
The league will decide whether this crossed the line. Either way, every young defenceman watching just got a free lesson in keeping his head up.
Should Brett Howden be suspended for his hit on Jayden Struble?
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