Presently, there are decisions made by the NHL that are bothering many people. It's very difficult to understand how decisions are made, especially when some actions seem much worse yet are minimally or not punished at all.
We are all aware of the 41-game suspension imposed on Shane Pinto for a sports betting incident, while the Senators are sponsored by Bet 99. This suspension has stirred controversy for obvious reasons.
In a recent matchup between the Bruins and the Rangers, defenseman Jacob Trouba delivered a violent stick to the head of Trent Frederic, and he was fined. A decision that is also sparking discussion.
"Just to be clear. If you're an NHL player and you gamble (NOT on hockey) in a league that heavily promotes gambling you will be suspended for half a season. But if you slash another player in the head there is no suspension and only a $5,000 fine. Only in the NHL."
In the comments, Stu Cowan confirms that the NHL mentioned Pinto never bet on the NHL. Add to that the likely fine for Marc-André Fleury regarding the mask incident, and it creates a cocktail of questionable decisions.
It seems like the NHL is making decisions to save face, when it's quite the opposite happening. Player safety should take precedence over the image, and it's clear that it's not the case.