The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety has announced that New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier will have a hearing for his cross-check to the face of Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux. Meier will face supplemental discipline for an incident that occurred at the 12:17 mark of the third period of last night’s game. The penalty forced New Jersey to kill off a five-minute major while the team held a two-goal lead. The Devils went on to win the game by a score of 5-2.
Despite winning the game, the Devils were pushed around for much of the night. Before the Meier cross-checks, L’Heureux caught Devils forward Paul Cotter with a hip check that sent him to the New Jersey bench in obvious discomfort. L’Heureux and Meier then engaged in a battle after the whistle where L’Heureux gave Meier a shot in the back and then Meier hit him back with two cross-checks, the second of which caught the 21-year-old L’Heureux up high.
Meier has never missed any NHL games due to a suspension in his eight-year NHL career but has had to pay out some fines. During his rookie season in 2017-18, he was fined for elbowing then Vancouver Canucks defenseman Michael Del Zotto, then in 2019 he was given a $2000 fine for a second offense of Rule 64, which concerns diving and embellishment.
Meier’s hearing will take place today, and although the NHL hasn’t formally announced whether it will be a phone or in-person hearing, the tight timeline indicates that it will be a phone hearing.