Story Summary
Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar has been suspended for two games without pay after an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders centre Bo Horvat.
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced the discipline following Game No. 62 in New York on Thursday, Oct. 8. The hit occurred at 18:25 of the third period, and Nazar received a match penalty.
Key Facts
- Frank Nazar was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL Department of Player Safety.
- The suspension was for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat.
- The incident occurred at 18:25 of the third period in NHL Game No. 62 in New York on Thursday, Oct. 8.
- Nazar was assessed a match penalty on the play.
- Nazar will forfeit $68,041.14, calculated from his average annual salary, with the money directed to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
IHM Discussion
The ruling removes Nazar from Chicago’s lineup for two games and records the league’s determination that the check on Horvat met the threshold for supplemental discipline. The match penalty assessed during the game was followed by a suspension that carries both an on-ice absence and a financial forfeiture.
For the Islanders, the central fact is that Horvat was the player subjected to the illegal check.
Why It Matters
Head contact remains a major area of NHL discipline, and this decision brings an immediate two-game absence for Nazar. Chicago must account for that absence while Nazar also loses $68,041.14 under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The forfeited money will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.