Patrick Kaleta will miss the Buffalo Sabres next two games thanks to a suspension he received after he hit Columbus defenseman Jack Johnson in the head along the boards in their game on Thursday.
Kaleta will have an in-person hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, headed by Brendan Shanahan, on Tuesday, where he is likely to receive further disciplinary action.
Kaleta is a repeat (repeat) offender, and was awarded a five game suspension last season for his boarding penalty against brad Richards. This time around, Kaleta will be looking at a minimum of five games, and possibly as many as ten.
No penalty was assessed on the ice, though Derek Boll came over immediately to tangle with Kaleta. For his part, Johnson stayed in the game, and both of those facts could come in to play during Kaleta’s meeting with Shanahan on Tuesday.
You can see the hit halfway through the video below (h/t to Puck Daddy for the find) and though it doesn’t look like much, any type of hit to the head from a player with Kaleta’s history deserves a significant penalty. Take a look and judge for yourself.