Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov will have a hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for kneeing Nikolaj Ehlers. Players that have hearings with DoPS can be fined or suspended for up to four games.
“The following grounds are being considered for supplemental discipline: kneeing,” DoPS writes on NHL.com. “However, the Department of Player Safety retains the right to make adjustments to the infraction upon review.”
The play occurred late in the third period of the Capitals’ 4-3 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets,
Washington’s Dmitry Orlov will have a hearing today for Kneeing Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 19, 2022
Orlov appeared to line up Ehlers for a hit in the corner as the Jets forward passed the puck behind the Capitals net. As Ehlers came to a sharp stop, Orlov continued to follow through and made knee-on-knee contact with Ehlers’ left leg.
#ALLCAPS Awkward hit from Orlov on Nikolaj Ehlers. pic.twitter.com/qC9EiW6OJr
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) January 19, 2022
No penalty was called on the play. Ehlers was helped off the ice by the trainer and put no weight on his leg.
After the game, Jets’ head coach Dave Lowry said that he expected Ehlers to miss games due to the lower-body injury.
Dave Lowry expects Nik Ehlers to “miss more than one game” after the Jets forward collided knee on knee with Caps’ Dimitri Orlov.
— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) January 19, 2022
“I’m disappointed,” Lowry said according to Sportsnet. “When you lose a player, you’re disappointed. We have the luxury of replay. It’s a fast game. The four of [the referees] didn’t see it the same way we saw it.”
Orlov is one of the Capitals best defensemen and recently returned from a lower-body injury himself. Orlov averages 21:01 of ice time per game and has 19 points (5g, 14a) in 38 Capitals games this season.
The Capitals are already without John Carlson who is in COVID protocol.
Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB
