[Mike_habsfan]

Toronto Maple Leaf defenseman Pavel Kubina has been suspended for the first game of the regular season as the result of a cross-checking incident on Detroit Red Wings player Jiri Hudler during a pre-season game, October 1.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Kubina will forfeit $26,737.97. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Kubina was assessed a major penalty for cross-checking and a game misconduct at 18:03 of the first period.

He will miss Toronto's opening night game against Ottawa on October 4.

TSN : NHL - Canada's Sports Leader

 

[BE-LEAF-ABLE]

There's the downside to Kubina. He can be undisciplined.

But I think the good outweighs the bad. If he can refrain from losing his temper out there, he'll be very good for the Leafs this season.

With that said, I don't like how he got suspended but Kovalchuk didn't. It's typical of the NHL.

Though I do think Kubina should have got more than 1 game (that's a clear cross-check to the face), I can't help but remember how Dany Heatley didn't get a thing for taking Brenden Bell out for 3 weeks with a full swing to his foot with his stick, yet didn't even receive a slap on the wrist.

I look at these 2 incidents, and wonder what it would take for the NHL to finally start making the calls they need to to avoid what seems to be the inevitable. Someone going too far... again.