It’s always hard to predict what measures the NHL Department of Player Safety will take when it comes to hits to the head. New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren had a telephone hearing after his hit on Joonas Donskoi on Tuesday night, but came away without any disciplinary action when they ruled that it was unavoidable contact.
(2/2) While there was significant head contact on this play, Lindgren took a proper angle of approach, did not extend outward or upward and hit through Donskoi’s core. Therefore, under Rule 48.1 (i), the head contact was determined to be unavoidable.