In a significant disciplinary action, the National Hockey League (NHL) has imposed a financial penalty on New York Islanders' prominent forward, Mathew Barzal. The player has been fined the maximum allowable amount for an on-ice infraction during a recent match.
The Incident That Led to the Fine
The event unfolded during NHL Game No. 603 on December 28 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus. The New York Islanders were facing off against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who ultimately secured a 4-2 victory. At the 1:37 mark of the second period, Barzal was involved in a slashing incident against Blue Jackets forward Mason Marchment.
As a direct result, officials issued Barzal a major penalty for slashing, followed by a game misconduct ejection. Merely six seconds later, Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech also received a minor penalty for tripping. This sequence left the Islanders at a significant disadvantage for a large portion of the game.
NHL's Decision and Financial Penalty
The NHL's Department of Player Safety conducted a review of the play and decided to fine Mathew Barzal. The amount levied was $5,000, which is the highest sum permitted for such an offence under the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The league officially announced the decision on their social media platform, stating: “NY Islanders’ Mathew Barzal has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for slashing Columbus’ Mason Marchment.” Due to the ejection and the time already served, the Department of Player Safety opted not to impose an additional suspension. Barzal missed the final 38 minutes and 26 seconds of the game.
This fine marks Barzal's fourth financial penalty from the league, though he has never faced a suspension. The collected fine will be directed to the NHL's Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Reactions from Both Sides
Following the game, the Islanders organization came to Barzal's defence. Team officials suggested that Marchment had overstepped by sticking his knee out to trip Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer earlier. They expressed support for Barzal standing up for his younger teammate.
Interestingly, Mason Marchment himself acknowledged his role in the altercation. Speaking to reporters in the Blue Jackets' dressing room, he admitted, “I’m kind of used to it by now, it’s part of my game to try to get in the other teams’ heads a little bit.” He further added about the incident, “I was never trying to hurt him there in the middle, just get in his way. Probably not smart by me.”
The New York Islanders and Mathew Barzal will look to move past this incident as they prepare for their next fixture. The team is scheduled to play against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at 8:30 PM ET.
