Anaheim Ducks Nate Thompson Should Not Be Suspended For Hit On Faulk

By Griffin Foster | Dec 12, 2015

Anaheim Ducks center Nate Thompson will have a hearing on Monday for a high hit that resulted in a game misconduct.

The Anaheim Ducks waited a long time for the return of Nate Thompson, who missed the first two months of the season due to offseason shoulder surgery. Thompson’s first game back was December 2nd against Tampa Bay and he has two points in four games since returning to the lineup.

Last night against Carolina, the Ducks were forced to play the final 53 minutes of the game with 11 forwards due to a high hit by Thompson that resulted in a 5 minute major and game misconduct. Thompson’s night ended after two shifts.

The hit was undoubtedly high and as a result the NHL player safety department has scheduled a hearing for Thompson that will occur on Monday.
Here’s a link to the hit.

Thompson has just one suspension in his career that came from another illegal check to the head which resulted in a two game suspension. The thing to consider here from that last suspension is that the player Thompson hit was not injured and that Thompson had no prior history of illegal checks and yet he will still given a two game suspension.

So, does Thompson deserve to be suspended for his hit on Faulk?

The first thing you notice about this hit is that Faulk is eligible to be hit. Faulk moves the puck about a second or second and a half before Thompson engages in the hit.

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Next, Thompson actually takes no stride towards Faulk before hitting him, he is already skating in that direction and there is not effort by Thompson to go out of his way to hit Faulk, he simply was finishing a check.

It is apparent that Faulk sees this hit coming, you can tell by the way he moves the puck quickly and begins to stop his forward momentum.

By trying to stop himself from skating into Thompson, Faulk slows up and pushes his left leg forward to come to a quick stop. His right leg remains further back and this causes him to drop his right knee a bit and he then lowers himself to a height that is much shorter than the level he normally skates at.

This lowering height occurs about a half second before Thompson engages in the hit, leaving no time for Thompson to realize what has happened.

Thompson engages in the check with a forearm that obviously appears to rise up and hit the head of Faulk and it then appears to be an elbow to the head.

The issue here is that again, Faulk tries to stop just before Thompson hits him and that it was causes Thompson to make contact with the head. Thompson was not deliberately aiming for the head or trying to use his elbow, it occurred due to Faulk lowering his height as he tries to stop before Thompson hits him.

There is no way that Thompson can realize in that split second that he is going to make contact with Faulk’s head.

This is why Nate Thompson should not be suspended.

It was a play that happened very fast and Faulk is the one who lowers the level of his head as he realizes he is going to be hit. It was Faulk’s attempt to stop forward momentum that opened opportunity for head contact.

Thompson was given a 5 minute major and was tossed from the game and that should also play a factor in this. The Ducks played with 11 forwards for 53 minutes, nearly an entire game.

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With other illegal checks to the head that have occurred this season, players have either escaped being penalized or only received a 2 minute minor. Thompson received the game misconduct and that should factor into this as well.

Many have called for the 5 minute major and game misconducts to be the action taken by on-ice officials and that is what occurred here. Whether it was the correct call or not, this is what many have said needs to be done in order for players to not escape proper penalization on illegal checks to the head.

The NHL player safety department should not suspended Thompson due to proper action being taken on the ice which resulted in Thompson missing nearly an entire game.

He has just one prior incident which may factor in, but this hit is innocent and was caused from a Faulk’s attempt to slow down and avoid being hit.

Thompson without a doubt makes contact with Faulks head, but it was not deliberate. If the NHL player safety department decides to fine Thompson, then so be it, but this play should not result in a suspension.

The Ducks four game New York/New Jersey road trip begins Thursday night in Buffalo. If Thompson is suspended, Ducks GM Bob Murray could recall a prospect to go on the trip as the Ducks only have 12 healthy forwards on their roster right now pending the return of Jiri Sekac who could be ready for the road trip.

Expect the NHL player safety department to make a decision on Thompson either Tuesday or Wednesday.

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