Team USA forward Nick Schmaltz took a brutal hit from Sweden’s Gabriel Landeskog during a game at the 2017 World Championships on Monday. Schmaltz immediately left the game following the play, which surprisingly did not lead to a penalty despite coming late.
Schmaltz released his shot well before Landeskog went to initiate contact, but there was no call on the ice. The Blackhawks forward had been playing well at the tournament with two assists in his first two games with the senior national team.
Dealing with physical play is still an ongoing process for Schmaltz, but it’s not hard to wonder why the referees decided to swallow their whistles for that hit.