Last night, Pittsburgh Penguins enforcer Tom Sestito was given a five-minute major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct after a hard hit from behind on Winnipeg Jets defenseman Toby Enstrom. The league announced this morning that Sestito would have a phone hearing today on supplemental punishment for the incident. Well, that hearing has come and gone and NHL Player Safety has decided to hand down a four-game suspension for the veteran winger.
As Player Safety acknowledges, Enstrom did see Sestito coming and turned away from the check. However, they continue that Enstrom slowed and made his move earlier enough that Sestito had “sufficient time to minimize the force of the hit”. Instead, Sestito continued at full-force and caused injury to Enstrom because of it. The suspension will hopefully work toward teaching Sestito that hitting someone right on the numbers from behind is the exact kind of dangerous play that the NHL is looking to eliminate.
Sestito has only played in nine games this season -while racking up 44 penalty minutes in that time – with the Penguins and his presence will hardly be missed. However, the hope is that the missed games and subsequent loss of pay will impart some knowledge and sense of responsibility on Sestito in the future, if and when he gets back on the ice. Sestito is one of the few pure enforcers remaining in the NHL as the league moves away from violence for violence’s sake.
I think he deserves the punishment but someone has to teach these hockey players that turning ur back to a hit isn’t a form of protecting yourself.
Players NEVER used to turn into the boards when they were about to be checked.
WHY? Because they knew they’d get crushed and be hurt.
Now, the NHL rewards players who intentionally put themselves at risk by allowing them to escape hits and/or giving them power plays, so players do it dozens of times a game. They are creating an incentive for players to take actions that cause injuries.
Protect the players who are vulnerable, but DO NOT reward the players who make themselves vulnerable to gain a competitive advantage. Allow the players who intentionally turn into the boards to be hit legally and the players will stop doing that VERY QUICKLY.
If Enstrom knows that he’ll be hit and not given a power play, he would have NEVER turned into the boards. He would have kept his shoulder square, played the puck and braced for the hit. Instead…
It still would’ve been a boarding penalty likely. He was definitely in the danger zone
There is a responsibility of both players but more so the player putting themselves into position to be hit. These hits having penalties called is becoming like pass interference in the NFL. But I do believe the 4 game was warranted… but he could have 2 handed a linesman and only got 10. Discipline in NHL is a joke
Very inconsistant on suspensions, “Tostito” got 4 because of his rep, not cause of the hit..
Was a video goin around on Marchant
And his masterful slue footing.. He has been suspended for it, but still does it.. That is dirty and can result in serious injuries to the receiving player who ” doesnt see ” that coming..That by far is something that should be clamped down on by the NHL..
I believe that the suspension is warranted; however, Enstrom saw Sestito gunning towards him and turned his back. Both players paid the price.