St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sunqdvist was fined $7,392.47 Sunday for charging Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson, the league's department of player safety has announced.
Sundqvist, 25, hit Gibson in the head during a play behind the net halfway through St. Louis' 4-1 loss to the Ducks on Saturday. While it appeared he may have been trying to squeeze between Gibson and the endboards to avoid contact, Sundqvist left his feet and made direct contact with Gibson's head, sending Anaheim's goalie sprawling to the ice — and the Ducks after Sundqvist.
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The five-year veteran was handed a two-minute minor penalty for charging Gibson and an additional penalty for roughing Nicolas Deslauriers in the ensuing pileup. Sundqvist's fine was announced after he met with the league's player safety department for a hearing earlier on Sunday. $7,392.47 is the maximum amount allowed by the NHL's collective bargaining agreement with the players' association.
Rule 42 in the NHL's handbook defines "charging" as "the actions of any player who, as a result of any distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner." The rule clarifies that goalkeepers are not "fair game" to check when they are outside their goal crease.
Sundqvist has been assessed supplemental discipline by NHL player safety before — he was suspended for one game during the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals for a hit from behind on Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.
Since no more supplemental punishment will come for the play on Gibson, the Blues will have Sundqvist on the ice for their next game when they play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday — his wallet will just be lighter.