Alex Edler suspended three games by NHL

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The Vancouver Canucks lost to the San Jose Sharks 4-1 last night and now they’ve lost defenceman Alex Edler for the next three games.  The NHL has suspended Edler after it deemed his third period hit against San Jose’s Tomas Hertl was an illegal check to the head.

Brendan Shanahan, the NHL’s Director of Player Safety explained his decision.
“Edler approaches low and athletic, and is poised to possibly make a hard, legal check against Hertl. However, Edler does not hit Hertl squarely. He cuts across the front of Hertl, making the head the main point of contact.”

While Hertl was not hurt on the play, Shanahan says his reaction to the hit indicated his head was struck first.  “Aside from his helmet popping up in the air, Hertl’s reaction to the hit, getting spun, rather than being driven in the direction Edler was travelling, reaffirms our view that his head was the main point of contact.”

Shanahan also indicted Edler’s repeat offender status was a factor in the length of the suspension.

“Edler has been suspended once before. Last March for charging, and is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.”

Edler can return on October 19th when the Canucks play the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Vancouver will be missing Edler from the line-up but Zack Kassian has served his five-game suspension and will return when the Canucks play Montreal on Saturday at Rogers Arena.

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