Olli Maatta Injury Deems Nino Niederreiter Suspension

Olli Maatta was injured on Tuesday evening during a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild. TSN’s Bob McKenzie announced that Olli Maatta would likely be kept at hospital overnight for observation. More updates to come on Wednesday.

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TSN hockey analyst Craig Button made the suggestion on “That’s Hockey 2Nite” that not only will the Department of Player Safety look at the play, but could likely suspend Minnesota’s Nino Niederreiter. The injury occurred at the blue-line at the end of Minnesota’s bench when a puck race resulted in a nudge in the danger zone (just a few feet away from the boards) forcing Olli Maatta to lose balance headed for a collision with the wall. But before colliding, backup goalie Darcy Kuemper opens the team’s bench door, resulting in a nasty looking collision that ultimately forced Olli Maatta to hospital.

At quick glance, the play looks innocent, as if Olli Maatta may have just lost balance and was part of a freak accident. But, after watching the play a few times, blame can be squarely pointed towards both Niederreiter and Kuemper.

Nov 17, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta (3) suffers an apparent injury after colliding with Minnesota Wild left wing Jason Zucker (16) and right wing Nino Niederreiter (22) during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Nino Niederreiter isn’t the type of player to do something maliciously to hurt a player, although he did make a fatal mistake on this play.

Even the clean nosed players in the NHL can make a bad split-second decision at times, after all we’re humans. But ultimately, Niederreiter will likely serve a one to two game suspension for his dangerous hit on Olli Maatta.

It’s a bit of an odd instance where in this writer’s personal opinion, the brunt of the blame should be placed squarely on the backup goaltender controlling the gate. Kuemper was watching the puck race between Maatta and Niederreiter, turns his head and noticed a Wild player coming to change.

Apparently, observational common sense went out the window, as it almost seems as though he experienced tunnel vision perhaps for the player coming off? Although it doesn’t make a lot of sense considering Kuemper saw the action in front of him just a second or two earlier. Why is he blindly opening the gate with action directly in front of the door?

Even the backup goaltender controlling the door has a responsibility to pay attention to the game. They may have a responsibility to get that door opened and closed, but NHL’ers are big boys, and many of them have no problem making it over the boards without use of the gate.

What do you think of the play? If you haven’t had a look, take a look below:

Was this simply an innocent play that ended in freak accident? Or is the push/nudge by Niederreiter enough to warrant a suspension? Or do you take the extreme conspiracy-type route that Kuemper’s opening of the door was perhaps intentional?

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Regardless of what anyone thinks, you can guarantee the Department of Player Safety will review the play on Wednesday, at which the NHL should announce whether or not Nino Niederreiter receives a hearing. Hockey fans and experts alike never wish to see an injury involving open doors, so best of wishes to the young Penguins defenseman in hopes that the injury will only be minor and short-term.