The NHL and Brendan Shanahan have suspended the Rangers’ Carl Hagelin for three playoff games for his elbow that injured Ottawa’s Daniel Alfredsson in Game 2 Saturday night.

Which, in my opinion, is extremely excessive given some of the crap that has gone unpunished, or has been met with couch-cushion-change $2,500 fines both during the season and in these playoffs. Indeed, there is no comparison in the intent between Hagelin’s elbow—for which I believe he should be suspended, maybe one game—and Shea Weber grabbing Henrik Zetterberg by the back of the helmet and driving his head into the glass in the Nashville-Detroit series. Weber was not disciplined.

And I think the Chris Phillips elbow on Ryan Callahan in Game 2 was every bit as bad, but Callahan didn’t get hurt. As I’ve said many times, I don’t think the severity of the injury should ever, ever, ever factor into the decision.

Here is Shanahan’s explanation video. ^[1]

Here’s the official announcement from the NHL:

RANGERS’ HAGELIN SUSPENDED FOR THREE GAMES

NEW YORK (April 15, 2012)—New York Rangers forward Carl Hagelin has

been suspended for three games for elbowing Ottawa Senators forward Daniel

Alfredsson during Game 2 of the teams’ Eastern Conference Quarterfinal

series in New York on Saturday, April 14, the National Hockey League’s

Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 10:32 of the second period. Hagelin was

assessed a major penalty for elbowing. Alfredsson suffered an injury as a

result of the hit.

For a full explanation of the decision, complete with video, please

click on the following link:

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=172550 ^[2]

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Here’s the announcement of the Matt Carkner suspension, from the NHL:

SENATORS’ CARKNER SUSPENDED FOR ONE GAME

NEW YORK (April 15, 2012)—Ottawa Senators forward Matt Carkner has
been suspended for one game for continuing to inflict punishment upon an
opponent who was an unwilling combatant in an altercation during Game 2 of
the team’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series with the New York Rangers
in New York on Saturday, April 14, the National Hockey League’s Department
of Player Safety announced today. Carkner instigated an altercation with New York forward Brian Boyle,
who did not respond. After knocking Boyle to the ice with two punches,
Carkner continued to throw punches at his opponent, who was an unwilling
combatant. Carkner’s actions classified him as an “aggressor” under NHL
rules. The incident occurred at 2:15 of the first period. Carkner was
assessed a minor penalty for instigating, a major penalty for fighting and
a game misconduct. For a full explanation of the decision, complete with video, please
click on the following link:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=172551

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Statement from the NYR:

STATEMENT REGARDING CARL HAGELIN SUSPENSION

New York, April 15, 2012- The New York Rangers accept the NHL’s three-game suspension of Carl Hagelin and will not pursue an appeal. However, we are thoroughly perplexed in the ruling’s 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.