Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas seems determined to see just how much he can get away with when it comes to the NHL's department of player safety.
He was ejected in the first period of Tuesday's game against the New Jersey Devils and given a match penalty for an illegal check to the head of Bobby Farnham.
The biggest issue here is just how far behind the play everything is.
Have a look.
It might not be the dirtiest hit, but there is just no reason for him to be in a position to come in contact with a player there. At all. The play is at the complete opposite end of the ice. It's late. It appears to be a high hit that might be to the head. Just a totally needless play, and if there a player that isn't going to get the benefit of the doubt here, it's Gudas.
This is the latest in a long line of questionable plays by him this season.
He was suspended three games in early December for an illegal hit to the head of Ottawa Senators forward Mika Zibanejad in a game where he injured three different players.
Along with that suspension, he was ejected from a game against Montreal two weeks ago for clipping Lucas Lessio, and then received a five-minute major for charging Buffalo Sabres forward Daniel Catenacci on a play that resulted in Marcus Foligno calling Gudas "an idiot" and a "dirty" player.
He did not receive any additional discipline from the NHL for the latter two plays.
Even though he avoided additional punishment for the hit on Catenacci, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol and general manager Ron Hextall both spoke to him about plays like that with Hakstol emphasing the importance of making sure he does things that help the team win games.
The match penalty he received Tuesday means that Gudas is already suspended for one game pending a hearing with the league. Given the lateness of the hit, combined with the fact that Gudas has already been suspended once this season and now ejected twice, this match penalty might actually stick and result in a suspension. And perhaps even added to.
