Practice report: Dumoulin, Hagelin, Malkin take the ice taken in Cranberry Township, Pa. (Penguins)

Brian Dumoulin. - CHRIS BRADFORD / DKPS

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- NHL justice isn’t blind and it certainly isn’t slow.

But, far more troubling for the league’s 600 or so players, it is inconsistent.

Differing standards and vague interpretations lead to mass confusion as to what acts are and are not punishable.

Tom Wilson’s hit to the head on Brian Dumoulin in Game 2 of the Penguins-Capitals second-round series is just the latest incident where the  league has taken no action on a play where past precedent would have indicated it probably should have. 

Here, if you haven’t seen it yet, is Wilson’s hit on Dumoulin in the second period on Sunday:

“I looked up and saw (Alex Ovechkin) coming, I just tried to make a pass through him and brace for my impact from Ovie,” Dumoulin said Monday. “I didn’t know that Wilson was there at all or anything. I was just bracing for Ovechkin.

"I wasn’t ready for Wilson at all. I was more bracing for Ovie. I was just trying to take an impact from Ovie and got caught in the head.”

Clearly the point of contact was Dumoulin's head, though no penalty was called on the play. The wording to NHL Rule 48.1 dealing with illegal checks to the head is fairly open to interpretation. But on penalties like high-sticking, all players are required to be accountable for their sticks and are penalized regardless of intent.

In an era of heightened awareness surrounding concussions and brain injuries, it is alarming that the league confirmed on Monday that it would take no further action against a repeat offender like Wilson, who was suspended four games for boarding St. Louis’ Sam Blais in an October preseason game and docked $97,560.

But given the league’s inconsistency in doling out punishment, perhaps no one should be that surprised. 

While it’s wonderful that Dumoulin reported he was feeling fine after practicing just a day later — in a non-contact jersey — and passing the league’s concussion protocol, which he called “a relief," that shouldn’t negate punishment.

I asked Dumoulin if he was disappointed that there would be no supplementary discipline for Wilson but, as he says, it’s out of his hands.

“It’s not for me to say, I’m not the one making the decision on that, obviously,” he said. “I care more about myself than I do him. I just want to make sure I’m good and taking the appropriate steps to make sure I can come back and play when I’m ready.”

Sidney Crosby is the face of the NHL and also no stranger to head injuries after missing nearly a season in 2011-12. He too was unsure why Wilson was able to go unpunished when I asked him:

If Dumoulin continues to pass protocol, it would seem he’s a strong possibility to play sooner rather than later, including tomorrow night’s Game 3 at PPG Paints Arena against Wilson and the Capitals.

According to Mike Sullivan, Dumoulin, Carl Hagelin and Evgeni Malkin are all game-time decisions. Here's video of Dumoulin and Hagelin in practice Monday:

• After missing the better part of the last three games, Hagelin participated in his first full practice Monday at the Lemieux Sports Complex. He had been knocked out of Game 6 of the Penguins' first-round series after taking a hard hit from Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux

“Always hard watching the game from the TV, but felt good today," Hagelin said through what appeared to be at least one missing tooth and stitches to his lips and tongue. 

Asked about managing and playing through pain, Hagelin said: "It's been fine. Been through injuries before. Just a matter of the mental part that comes with being in this industry."

Hagelin started out in a non-contact grey jersey, but was elevated to a full yellow. He was also donning a full-face shield but told me he was unsure if he’d have to wear one when he returns. Hagelin, who usually wears his visor above his eyebrows, wore full face protection for four years at the University of Michigan. 

• Malkin, also out since the sixth game against the Flyers, was a full participant. After practicing Saturday in Washington, it had been hoped that the NHL’s fourth-leading scorer would play in Game 2. He did not speak on Monday.

• The Penguins only skated for about a half-hour at their practice facility.

• Despite a forgettable first season in Pittsburgh and being a healthy scratch in favor of Chad Ruhwedel in the playoffs, Matt Hunwick has been the picture of professionalism. The 11-year veteran has even taken every pre-game warmup preparing as if he's going to play that night.

If Dumoulin can't go, he'll likely slide back into the lineup after last playing April 1.

"There's always guys that are nicked up this time of year and guys that are questionable," he said. "I have to be ready every game."

Daniel Sprong took part in Sunday's pre-game warmup because the Penguins needed an extra forward, according to Sullivan. But the coach also did not categorically deny that Sprong, who scored a pair of goals in eight NHL games in January, could be used in this series.

• Here are the lines and pairs that the Penguins used Monday. Note that Phil Kessel was put back on the Brassard line (I'll do that as a separate story):

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist

Simon-Malkin-Rust

Sheary-Brassard-Kessel

Hagelin/ZAR-Sheahan-Kuhnhackl

Dumoulin-Letang

Maatta-Schultz

Oleksiak-Ruhwedel

Hunwick-(Gonchar)

Loading...
Loading...