Chris Wideman suspended 1 game for headbutting Erik Haula

NHL Player Safety announced earlier today that Habs defenseman Chris Wideman was suspended a game for headbutting Erik Haula in the middle of a scrum during the third period of last night’s game:

Their explanation, as circuitously done by what can only be described as someone imitating a text to speech device’s cadence, is as follows:

From the video:

Wideman cocks his head, and drives his helmet directly and intentionally into the head of Haula. This is headbutting. It is important to know that Wideman’s helmet makes clear, intentional contact with Haula’s face and head. This is not an occasion where two players accidentally or inadvertently collide in a scrum. Rather, this is an unacceptable and intentional headbutt.

Thank you, Player Safety-tron. Your wisdom in being plugged directly into the rulebook actually comes out on top for once.

It’s worth noting that Haula was fine and repaid Wideman by bringing him to the hit movie “Fantastic Hands and Where to Catch Them” straight afterwards, so while an unbelievably stupid thing for an NHL player down three goals to do in the middle of a scrum, I don’t personally believe he earned any more than the one game he got and the bruise to his ego and also face. Then again, if I was a Habs defenseman right now, I think I’d be finding a way out of Montreal any way I could, so impossible to say it was incorrect.

But that’s the beauty of the internet! We can argue about it all we’d like!