Oliver Ekman-Larsson punished by the NHL Department of Player Safety for interference on Jake Guentzel
Toronto Maple Leafs player Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been sanctioned by the NHL for interference on Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel.
Monday night saw the Maple Leafs take on the Lightning at home, winning the matchup with a resounding 5-2 win, with a great performance from William Nylander, scoring two goals, and one goal each from Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies and Max Pacioretty sealing the win for the team.
Despite the win, not all was good news for the Leafs, who bounced back from a 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers, and following that game head coach Craig Berube singled out Pontus Holmberg as someone who needed to improve following the loss. After the game, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was sanctioned for his actions against Lighting forward Jake Guentzel. In the fifth minute of the third period, towards the end of the game, the player was handed a minor penalty for interference.
The NHL subsequently announced, after the game was concluded, the player would be fined 5000$, which is the maximum fine allowed under the CBA, and the funds would go towards the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.
Despite this incident, Ekman-Larsson is not known for having a temper or being an aggressive player. Despite the physicality that comes with being a defenseman, he is well respected throughout the league, being known for his leadership and consistency and not as a dirty or overly aggressive player.
The Leafs, who have reportedly been looking to trade fellow defenseman Timothy Liljegren, have had a good start to the season, sporting a 4-2-0 record, with impressive wins over the Lighting, New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings. They hope to keep this momentum going, and expect Ekman-Larsson to not cause too many issues, as he's never been known as a troublemaker.
