NHL
The NHL announced on Monday that commissioner Gary Bettman has reduced Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman’s suspension from 10 games to eight. The decision came 10 days after Hartman appealed the suspension.
Hartman will now be eligible to return March 4 when the Wild begin a two-game road trip in Seattle. His $487,804.90 in lost salary has also been reduced by $97,560.98.
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The NHLPA had an opportunity to further appeal Hartman’s case to an independent arbitrator on the player’s behalf, but Hartman will accept the reduced suspension and not take the matter any further, according to a league source.
Hartman, 30, will serve the fifth game of his suspension Tuesday night when the Wild host the Detroit Red Wings.
Hartman and George Parros, the head of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, testified in front of Bettman during a three-hour hearing at a Montreal hotel on Feb. 14 that involved nearly 20 people, including NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh, Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin and Hartman’s agent.
The decision to suspend Hartman came as a result of his match penalty for pushing Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stützle’s face into the ice off a faceoff on Feb. 1. Stutzle sustained a laceration that took five stitches to close.
Ryan Hartman receives a match penalty for attempt to injure on this play with Tim Stützle 🤕 pic.twitter.com/dIdusOvRez
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) February 2, 2025
Hartman contended in his initial Zoom hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety that he put his arm on Stützle’s back to brace himself from a fall and that it was “accidental.” The department disagreed and came down hard on Hartman, who received his fifth career suspension and fourth since April 2023.
The Department of Player Safety considered Hartman’s track record when assigning the 10-game suspension. It also noted Hartman had been fined seven times, meaning he was assessed discipline roughly every 60 games in his career.
“It’s important to note that this is not a hockey play,” the NHL Department of Player Safety said in a video. “Hartman contends he’s attempting to use his hands to regain his balance using Stützle for support and their fall to the ice is accidental. We disagree. … (Hartman) takes advantage of a vulnerable player in an unacceptable manner.”
Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman has been suspended for ten games for roughing Ottawa’s Tim Stützle. https://t.co/BlPfYB9dqo
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) February 4, 2025
In the appeal hearing, the NHLPA disagreed with the Department of Player Safety’s conclusion that Hartman’s act was intentional, saying it was “a mere accident with an unfortunate outcome.” The union also noted that the 10-game suspension was the lengthiest suspension the league had ever imposed on a roughing penalty and was disproportionate to past roughing violations.
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In his ruling, Bettman said he did not find Hartman’s testimony credible that the incident was “accidental,” adding that “there are thousands of faceoffs every NHL season and the fact that no prior incident has involved conduct of this nature confirms any conclusion that this was not simply an accident, but rather intentional conduct on the part of Mr. Hartman.”
But in the end, Bettman determined that “an increase of seven (7) games from Mr. Hartman’s last suspension to this one” was “excessive” and “not proportional.”
Bettman added, “In light of Mr. Hartman’s prior suspension of three games, I believe that a suspension of eight (8) games should be sufficient to serve as an appropriate ‘wake-up call’ to Mr. Hartman, causing him to reevaluate his conduct on the ice and make positive changes to his game.”
Other than his return date, it means that Hartman, who has been considered a repeat offender the last three suspensions, will likely have plenty of scrutiny from officials and the Department of Player Safety. “There’s no more wiggle room,” Guerin recently said.
It made sense for Hartman to try to appeal the 10-game suspension as the league went on a two-week break for the 4 Nations tournament. That gave Hartman a better chance to have the result of his appeal come before he served the entirety of the suspension. But these appeals are rarely successful, with a few notable examples. The Capitals’ Tom Wilson regained six games worth of salary when his 2018 suspension was reduced from 20 games to 14 on an appeal to an arbitrator jointly appointed by the league and union, even though he had already served 16.
Hartman has continued to skate and practice with the Wild since he got suspended, often spending extra time after those sessions with either strength and conditioning coach Matt Harder or skating coach Andy Ness. If anything else, Hartman should be in tremendous shape by the time his suspension is over. Coach John Hynes indicated there’s a plan for Hartman during his time away, which includes his conditioning and working on his game so that he’s ready to jump back in the lineup.
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When it comes to getting into trouble, Hynes said it comes down to decision-making more than changing his game as a player, as he often plays on the edge. It’s part of what makes him successful.
“I think just understanding the moments you’re in,” Hynes said. “Understanding that, when you get into some situations where emotions get high. The game is emotional. It’s hard. It’s a difficult thing to be able to do, especially for a guy like him. He’s pretty competitive. And I think when you can get caught in sometimes, you’ve got to remain competitive and play on the edge and bring what you bring as a player. But sometimes you’ve got to take a deep breath too, try to do the right thing.”
Hartman is in the first year of a three-year, $12 million contract. He carries a $4 million cap hit and makes $5 million this season. It’s been another down season for Hartman, who has seven goals and 10 assists in 48 games, including a minus-8.
What the latest suspension means for Hartman’s future with the team remains to be seen. Hartman has a full no-move clause this season, and it changes to a modified no-trade clause the next two seasons (a 15-team no-trade list in 2025-26 and a 10-team no-trade list in 2026-27).
Hartman told The Athletic before the 4 Nations break that he would talk to the media soon after a ruling, so that could come after Tuesday’s morning skate.
The Wild, already up against the salary cap, will continue to have limited roster flexibility. Hartman must remain on the 23-man roster during his suspension, and it could eventually cost a teammate one of their jobs.
For example, when Jakub Lauko is ready to return from his lower-body injury — and Hynes indicated that could come Tuesday — Minnesota will likely make room by putting defenseman Travis Dermott on waivers or reassigning forwards Devin Shore or Liam Ohgren. Since Dermott wasn’t placed on waivers Tuesday, Shore or Ohgren could be reassigned once Lauko is activated off injured reserve.
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The Wild will have to keep doing cap gymnastics if another short-term injury occurs. Minnesota claimed one of Hartman’s good friends, Vinnie Hinostroza, off waivers from the Nashville Predators before the 4 Nations break to help make up for his absence. Hinostroza has scored two goals in three games with the Wild.
“It affects the team. It affects him,” Guerin said. “This is a big hit for him financially. It’s the other player that gets hurt or possibly could have. Ryan is a good player. Not too many guys play his brand of hockey, but he’s got to do a better job of not crossing the line. He knows it.”
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
