April 16, 2011
by Gann Matsuda
LOS ANGELES — The first two days of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs are now in the books, but, disappointingly, one of the most memorable aspects of the playoffs so far is the fact that how the National Hockey League handles supplementary discipline is still little more than a joke.

Logo courtesy National Hockey League
Before you start rolling your eyes, this is not really about the merits of
Los Angeles Kings center
Jarret Stoll’s hit from behind on
San Jose Sharks defenseman
Ian White in Game 1 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal series on April 14. It is also not about if Sharks defenseman
Jason Demers should have been suspended for his hit on Kings left wing
Ryan Smyth in the same game. Even the punishment
Anaheim Ducks right wing
Bobby Ryan should receive for stomping on
Nashville Predators defenseman
Jonathon Blum’s’s foot in Game 2 of their first round series on April 15 is not what this story is about.
These incidents shine an ultra-bright spotlight on the haphazard way the NHL hands out fines and suspensions. Indeed, it often seems that whether or not the incident results in an injury, along with the severity of the injury, dictates whether or not a suspension is handed down, not to mention the number of games. Read more of this post