Alexander Edler is facing supplemental discipline from the NHL’s department of player safety following his ejection for kneeing Zach Hyman.
He’ll have a hearing on Monday afternoon.
The Vancouver Canucks defenceman was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct Sunday night after dropping Hyman with a knee-on-knee collision while skating to the bench at the end of a three-minute shift.
Hyman hobbled down the tunnel to the dressing room and didn’t return for the final 30 minutes of a game the Canucks won 3-2 in overtime.
An update on Hyman’s condition is expected following Monday’s practice, according to Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe. The 28-year-old previously had surgery on his right knee to repair a torn ACL following the 2019 playoffs. His teammates had a good view of the collision with Edler since it occurred directly in front of the team’s bench and didn’t like what they saw.
“It was a pretty dirty hit,” said William Nylander.
“He’s a critical part of this team and those kind of plays – the knee-on-knee hits – I mean, they’re scary,” added Auston Matthews.
Edler doesn’t have any recent history with the player department of player safety.
He was suspended twice by the NHL in 2013 – receiving a three-game ban for an illegal check to Tomas Hertl’s head and a two-game ban for charging Mike Smith – and earned a four-game suspension from the IIHF for a knee-on-knee hit on Eric Staal during the 2013 world hockey championship.
The Canucks and Leafs play again Tuesday at Rogers Arena.
