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In the NHL, a knee-on-knee collision does not automatically eject a player. If the referee assesses a major penalty for kneeing, however, Rule 50 requires a game misconduct: the player is removed for the rest of that game. The NHL Department of Player Safety may then review the play separately and impose further discipline, including a suspension. That later outcome depends on the play and its circumstances; ejection alone does not determine it.
What does an NHL kneeing call mean?
NHL Rule 50.1 defines kneeing as a player leading with the knee and, in some cases, extending the leg outward to make contact with an opponent. The referee judges the severity of the play and may call a minor or major penalty. A knee-on-knee collision by itself does not require a major penalty or an ejection.
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Rule 50 also provides for a match penalty when the referee judges that a player attempted to injure, or deliberately injured, an opponent by kneeing. That is a distinct, more serious on-ice call; it should not be confused with the game misconduct automatically attached to a major kneeing penalty.
What happens immediately after a major penalty?
Under Rule 50.5, a major penalty for kneeing carries a game misconduct. The penalized player must leave the game and cannot return for its remainder. The team still serves the major penalty under the applicable game rules; the ejected player does not stay in the penalty box to serve it. The game misconduct is an in-game consequence, not a decision about whether the NHL will suspend the player later.
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Can the NHL review the hit after the game?
Yes. The Department of Player Safety monitors games and may review a play for supplemental discipline independently of the officials’ decision. An on-ice penalty is not required for the Department to act, and its later disciplinary decision does not have to use the same penalty category as the call made during the game.
The Department says it considers factors identified in CBA Article 18.2, including:
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- The nature of the conduct, including whether it was intentional or reckless and whether it involved excessive or unnecessary force.
- Whether the opponent was injured.
- The player’s history of prior discipline.
- The circumstances of the game and other appropriate factors.
These are considerations, not a formula that mechanically converts an ejection, injury, or prior record into a set number of suspension games.
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The player and representatives may be interviewed about the play. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety FAQ says it does not make a supplemental-discipline decision until the player has had an opportunity to explain. The format described by the FAQ depends on the potential penalty:
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- For discipline of five games or fewer, or a fine above $5,000, the FAQ describes a phone hearing.
- If six or more games may be warranted, the FAQ says an in-person hearing is offered.
A hearing is part of the review process; it does not mean a suspension is certain. The final result depends on the Department’s assessment of the incident.
Can the player appeal?
The NHL FAQ says a player may appeal on-ice discipline to the Commissioner by giving written notice within 48 hours. It also describes a subsequent appeal to a neutral arbitrator for suspensions of six or more games. A player remains suspended while an appeal is pending, unless the suspension term ends before the appeal is resolved.
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Why do two similar-looking hits get different outcomes?
The visible point of contact is only one part of the decision. To compare incidents, distinguish the referee’s on-ice call from the league’s later review, then consider the conduct, injury, prior discipline history, and game context. The NHL identifies those kinds of factors, but does not present them as a fixed scoring system. A player’s ejection therefore does not by itself predict whether supplemental discipline will follow or how long a suspension might be.
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On March 17, 2026, NHL.com reported that Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas received a five-game suspension for kneeing Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews. The report said Matthews sustained a grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion, ending his season. This was the outcome in that particular case, not a standard or automatic penalty for a knee-on-knee hit.
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Department of Player Safety head George Parros explained the distinction between evaluating a play and considering the participants’ histories afterward: “When we evaluate these plays we look at the play and not the players. If we determine that play was worthy of supplemental discipline we then look at history of the players involved and if there is an injury or not.”
What can be concluded about an unnamed incident?
Without details about a specific play, it is not possible to say whether a player will receive a minor, major, or match penalty, whether the NHL will add discipline, or how many games a suspension might cover. Under the NHL rules, a major for kneeing means a game misconduct and removal for the rest of that game; any later league discipline is a separate decision based on review.
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