The Los Angeles Kings could be without Anze Kopitar after he took a high blow from St. Louis Blues forward Ryan Reaves in Tuesday night’s 3-0 win. For his trouble, Reaves received the maximum fine from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
St. Louis's Ryan Reaves has been fined $3,024.19, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for roughing on Los Angeles's Anze Kopitar.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) November 4, 2015
The department called the play roughing, though some viewed Reaves’ transgression as a butt-end to Kopitar’s face.
Here's a look at the play in question via Sportsnet:
The butt-end of his stick, however, never appears to extend past Reaves’ glove, so it ends up being more like a little jab to an unsuspecting player. That has resulted in suspensions in the past, but the DPS opted for a maximum fine here instead.
Kopitar ended up leaving the game after this and did not return, with the team citing an upper-body injury as the cause for his absence.
The Kings forward’s status going forward is not yet known.
