Landeskog and McLeod Fined

At the end of the Avalanche Wild game on Saturday night, many Avs fans wondered what kind of fines or suspensions Cody McLeod, Gabriel Landeskog, and Patrick Roy might face after an on ice and on-bench altercation that filled the game's final 8 seconds.  Yesterday morning, we got our first hint from Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, that supplemental discipline was likely:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Hearing very likely <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/avs?src=hash">#avs</a> coach Patrick Roy, captain Gabriel Landeskog and forward Cody McLeod will all be fined for actions in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mnwild?src=hash">#mnwild</a> game</p>&mdash; Michael Russo (@Russostrib) <a href="https://twitter.com/Russostrib/status/572131493419462656">March 1, 2015</a></blockquote>

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This morning the NHL opted to fine both McLeod and Landeskog the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  According to NHL.com Cody McLeod receives a "$3,091.40 [fine[ for entering the game on a legal line change for the purpose of starting an altercation with 8.1 seconds remaining in regulation."  In addition, "Landeskog has been fined $5,000 for throwing a punch at Minnesota forward Mikko Koivu while both players were on their respective benches with 3.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Landeskog was assessed a misconduct penalty."

For those who missed the game, here is the incident:

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While McLeod's fine is the maximum allowable, he still manages to escape larger discipline on this misconduct because Charlie Coyle dropped the gloves first following McLeod's cheapshot on Granlund.  Here former NHL referee Kerry Fraser explains:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/AboyRadke">@AboyRadke</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScoutingTheRefs">@ScoutingTheRefs</a> Coyle initiated fight after McLeod charged Granlund so instigator to Cody avoided. Supplementary discipline can</p>&mdash; Kerry Fraser (@kfraserthecall) <a href="https://twitter.com/kfraserthecall/status/572109765972774912">March 1, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/AboyRadke">@AboyRadke</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScoutingTheRefs">@ScoutingTheRefs</a> be invoked after the fact to impose fines &amp;/ suspensions. Likely won&#39;t happen though.</p>&mdash; Kerry Fraser (@kfraserthecall) <a href="https://twitter.com/kfraserthecall/status/572110254445617152">March 1, 2015</a></blockquote>

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McLeod was spared an instigator penalty, and the automatic 1-game suspension that would come with it given the timing of the offense.  As of this post, the NHL has not announced a fine for Coach Patrick Roy (which would have been automatic had McLeod been called for an instigator) but Michael Russo has hear that one is on the way:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/CommonTek">@CommonTek</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kfraserthecall">@kfraserthecall</a> told Roy, McLeod, Landeskog being fined. No suspensions</p>&mdash; Michael Russo (@Russostrib) <a href="https://twitter.com/Russostrib/status/572217287349940226">March 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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While the monetary fines are minimal considering the salaries of the players involved, the key here is that McLeod and Landeskog will now be considered repeat offenders if they face supplemental discipline again in the near future.  Both players now have an established record of supplemental discipline.

The Avalanche and the Wild play again this coming Sunday (the Avs once again will be on their 2nd of a back-to-back).  It's doubtful the bad blood between the two sides will have dissipated by then, but you can bet that NHL officials will be keeping a close eye on that game.