Wild’s Ryan Hartman on throwing stick on ice: ‘I was over-the-top frustrated’
In the wake of a three-game suspension, Ryan Hartman promised Tuesday he wasn’t throwing his stick at anything but the Xcel Energy Center ice after the Wild’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Vegas Knights on Saturday.
“Pure frustration,” he told reporters after Tuesday’s morning skate at the X. “But it wasn’t directed toward an official or player. That’s not something I’ve ever done or will ever do.”
The frustration stemmed from a no-call on what Hartman and coach John Hynes considered an obvious high stick to the face during the 3-on-3 overtime on Saturday. But the veteran wing was contrite on Tuesday.
“I understand it’s a fast game; calls are gonna be missed. They don’t have an easy job, the refs. The game happens fast,” he said. “But, in the moment, with the importance of the game, you know, with a minute-40 left we have a chance to be on the power play to get two points, I was over-the-top frustrated.
“I care a lot about this team, and a lot about winning, and it came out.”
After a meeting Monday with NHL director of player safety George Parros, Hartman was handed down a three-game, unpaid suspension supplemental to the game misconduct he earned on Saturday.
It will cost Hartman more than $63,000 — payable to the NHL’s Players Emergency Assistance Fund — and he will miss the rest of the Wild’s homestand, games against the Senators Tuesday, Colorado Avalanche on Thursday and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
Hynes expressed sympathy for Hartman but added, “Like everything, you have to be able to handle it the right way. What happened, and the end result, is disappointing.”
Hartman said he didn’t so much as plead his case during Monday’s meeting as accept responsibility for his actions.
“I didn’t even really have a side,” he said. “I went on there to apologize and to own up to throwing a stick on the ice in frustration. It wasn’t me trying to make an excuse for why I did it.”
Hartman, 29, has been suspended three times and fined seven times in 10 NHL seasons. He missed Hynes’ first two games this season because he was suspended for slew-footing Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat on Nov. 26, and was fined $4,427.08 for high-sticking Winnipeg’s Alex Perfetti in the faceoff circle on Jan. 1.
“It’s more information, from seeing him in those situations, and you wonder if there’s something you can do differently as a coach in that situation, as well,” Hynes said. “I think it’s a dual responsibility.”
Adam Beckman will step into the lineup in Hartman’s absence Tuesday night, and Hynes said the coaching staff was still tinkering with line combinations after the morning skate.
Foligno pushing
The Wild also will be without veteran wing Marcus Foligno, who missed the morning skate because of a groin injury that has been bothering him for most of the second half of the season.
Tuesday’s game will be the 16th he has missed in the Wild past 23 games. With nine regular-season games left, the Wild are trying to make up a seven-point deficit in the race for a Western Conference playoff spot.
“Credit to Marcus, he wants to try to push and play and do everything that he can,” Hynes said. “But there are some medical things that he’s getting evaluated on that we may know whether he’s even going to be able to come back, or whether he is going to be shut down for the year.”
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