BOMBSHELL: Ryan Hartman Fined for Deliberate High-Stick

(Bailey Hillesheim/AP)

The NHL Player Safety Board announced today that it was fining Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman the maximum allowed fine of $4,427.08 for a high-sticking incident that has since been deemed intentional retaliation for superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov’s injury the day before.

The high-sticking happened during the New Year’s Eve game against the Winnipeg Jets. Cole Perfetti’s first shift of the game, only two minutes into the first period, was cut short when Ryan Hartman high-sticked him in the face. Even though the act drew blood and sent Perfetti off of the ice for medical care, Hartman was not called for any penalty.

In an even bigger twist of events, Perfetti told reporters today that he happened to be mic’d up for that game and the mic caught Hartman’s confession that the act was intentional. He told Perfetti that the high-stick was deliberate and payback for Brenden Dillon’s cross-checks during the game on Saturday. Kaprizov is currently out with an upper-body injury and is expected to be out for 1-2 weeks.

Perfetti kept Hartman’s confession to himself until the game was over, not wanting to perpetuate the cycle of retaliation that was already in motion. In Perfetti’s words, Hartman “blatantly said it was for what happened (Saturday), even though I didn’t even do anything in the play.” Perfetti also said that Hartman admitted it in “a respectful way…[and] it had to happen for what happened to Kaprizov.”

After Dillon’s cross-checks on Saturday, Jake Middleton challenged Dillon to a fight. Then, during the back half of their back-to-back the next day, Pat Maroon dropped the gloves with Jets captain Adam Lowry just after the first puck drop of the game.

Hartman is already a highly scrutinized player who plays on the edge of what is and isn’t tolerated. He has been fined seven times in his NHL career and suspended three times.

For more Minnesota Wild news, listen to Her Wild Side Hockey Podcast, which drops multiple times a week with fewer stats and more vibes.

Throwing Walleye and Dented Jock Straps Her Wild Side Hockey Podcast

The pod is back! The hockey world has been all a tizzy the past 24 hours, so Mikki is back to discuss. From the fish-tossing debate with the Seattle Kraken and Auston Matthews's mysterious trip to Germany to Nashville's bench minor and Zuccarello's unfortunate injury, there is plenty to talk about.Links:Her Wild Side Merch Shop!Ticketmaster Affiliate LinkSocial Media:TwitterInstagramFacebookFor more from us, visit Inside The RinkHow to support us and our sponsors:Columbia Sports ApparelESPN+ SubscriptionFanaticsDraft Kings – CODE ITR  
  1. Throwing Walleye and Dented Jock Straps
  2. Zuccarello's All-Star Game and the McDavid Wedding
  3. Let's Talk About Brock Faber's Contract Extension
  4. Summer Hockey and Why Minnesota Is the State of Hockey
  5. PWHL Minnesota is a Mess. Can It Be Saved?

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

NHL Draft Lottery

Detroit Red Wings Fall in Draft Lottery Once Again

The NHL Draft Lottery was held last night before game one of the second-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. The Detroit Red Wings once again fell in the draft, this time to number 13. The New York Islanders will have the first pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, while the […]

Read More
NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights with Line Combinations 5/5/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights with Line Combinations 5/6/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights with Line Combinations 5/5/2025

Read More
NHL Playoff Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals with Line Combinations 5/3/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals with Line Combinations 5/6/2025

NHL Playoff Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals with Line Combinations 5/3/2025

Read More