The NHL isn’t quite what it used to be.
With the age of the enforcer reaching its twilight, today’s game is much more focused on speed and skill. It opens the door for players like Johnny Gaudreau and Alex DeBrincat, whose smaller size would possibly have meant not having as fair of a shot in the league – remember how impressive it was that Martin St. Louis and Theo Fleury managed to have successful NHL careers?
Saying that, the game doesn’t come without a certain level of accountability, and Roberto Bortuzzo may have to face the music after getting suspended once again for a dirty hit on Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson.
With Arvisson standing near the crease, Bortuzzo laid a brutal cross-check right between the numbers, sending Arvisson barreling towards the crossbar behind Jordan Binnington. Once on the ice, Arvidsson then took another crushing cross-check from the Blues bruiser.
One month later, the dust hasn’t fully settled. Bortuzzo served a four game suspension, but Arvidsson wasn’t quite done talking about it when asked one month later.
Arvidsson is returning from the IR, but it will be a while until the two teams meet again. Their next clash is scheduled for February 15th, with a back-to-back date on the 16th as well.
(H/T Paul Skrbina)
