Nikita Kucherov May Face Suspension for Vicious Hit on Matthew Tkachuk

Amidst an increasingly aggressive league, star Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov may be the next player to face a suspension following his brutal hit on Matthew Tkachuk.

There has hardly been a time during the NHL's existence when there was no collection of tough and aggressive players.

However, as more data comes out about the dark side of this brutality, the Department of Player Safety is working to reduce excessive harm players could face on the ice.

More recently, the department has moved toward cracking down and making an example out of skaters who repeatedly cross over violent lines in hopes of discouraging this league-wide.

Most famously, towering rookie New York Rangers forward made arguably the most egregious hit of the season, elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen in the back of the neck straight into the boards.

Matt Rempe is best known for his on-ice fighting and dirty hits, leading Player Safety to ultimately decide that because he is a repeat offender, he would face an eight-game suspension and forfeit $80k in salary pay.

Provided the department's choice to dish out serious punishments for nasty plays, another player who just got caught pulling a brutal move could be the next target.

Veteran Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov is currently under fire for a collision he caused in Monday night's game against the recent Stanley Cup-winning team, the Florida Panthers.

During a play in which Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk was taking control of the puck, Kucherov initiated a high-speed knee-to-knee hit, landing both players on the ice.

As Tkachuk had to be helped off the ice, the referees called Kucherov's penalty a major and assessed him a game misconduct.

While Tampa Bay was lucky enough to beat the Florida Panthers in a 4-0 shutout, Kucherov's choice to make such a dangerous hit could result in additional discipline from the Department of Player of Safety that could impact his availability to the lineup in the near future.

Hopefully, whatever the punishment may be, Kucherov and other skaters will avoid making a similar mistake in the games ahead.

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