Rangers' Hagelin suspended three games

Rangers' Hagelin suspended three games

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

New York Rangers forward Carl Hagelin (l.) is suspended for his hit on Ottawa's Daniel Alfre dsson (below). Hagelin reaches out to Alfredsson via text message Sunday. ‘He’s been one of my favorite players,’ Hagelin says of his fellow Swede.

This is Hagelin-sanity!

NHL disciplinary czar Brendan Shanahan blindsided the Blueshirts Sunday night, slapping rookie winger Carl Hagelin with a three-game suspension for his Game 2 elbow to the head of fellow Swede and Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, making the rookie ineligible until Game 6 if the series returns to Ottawa next Monday.

Just as startling, Shanahan then hit Senators defenseman Matt Carkner with just a one-game slap on the wrist for his vicious first-period attack on Brian Boyle, which involved sucker punches and pounding on Boyles head and back as he lay flat on the ice.

The New York Rangers accept the NHLs 3-game suspension of Carl Hagelin and will not pursue an appeal, the team said in a statement released Sunday night. However, we are thoroughly perplexed in the rulings inconsistency with other supplementary discipline decisions that have been made throughout this season and during the playoffs. We will have no further comment on this decision.

Four days ago, Shanahan handled the case of Predators All-Star defenseman Shea Weber with kid gloves, fining Weber $ 2,500 and not suspending him after Weber slammed the head of Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg into the glass at the end of Game 1 of their Western Conference quarterfinal on Wednesday.

Brushing aside Webers professional wrestling tryout as reactionary, Shanahan made clear his decision not to suspend Weber was heavily influenced by his contact with the Red Wings organization, which said Zetterberg was not injured on the play.

Alfredsson was hurt on the Hagelin hit as he never returned to the game and his status for Game 3 Monday night is still unclear.

I never want to hurt anyone on the ice, said Hagelin, w ho texted an apology to Alfredsson before having having his hearing with Shanahan over the phone on Sunday afternoon. Thats not the type of player I am. Ive never had a major before. Especially being Alfredsson, growing up hes been a hero back home (in Sweden). Hes been one of my favorite players. Hes won the Olympics, the world championship with Sweden, so obviously I had no intention of hurting him. So I just hope hes doing well.

In Hagelins case and in Carkners, Shanahan appears to have ignored intent completely, docking Hagelin three games because the elbow injured Alfredsson and knocked him out for the remainder of the game, while going easy on Carkner because Boyle rose to his feet, played, fought Chris Neil and scored a goal in the 3-2 overtime loss.

"Boyles a big guy and I expected him to fight, Carkner told reporters Sunday. He couldve just held onto me. He didnt and now Im here talking to you and the league. I expected Boyle to defend hims elf. That obviously wasnt the case.

The Rangers could decide to plug Hagelins spot with bruiser John Scott and move the battlefield to Scotiabank Place on Monday, or this could mean the NHL debut of 20-year-old Chris Kreider, who told the Daily News on Sunday that hes ready to play if necessary.

Its been a learning process, but if they need me, Im ready to go, said Kreider, just nine days removed from winning a national title as a Boston College junior and six days removed from signing his first NHL contract. I dont think Id be here if I didnt feel that I was ready. I think Id be back at school taking class. If they need me, then Ill try to do whats asked of me.

Shanahans next job is to sort out Sundays Penguins-Flyers game, which featured 158 penalty minutes.