Hockey fans are stoking the flames after Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi’s controversial hit on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. On May 12, Domi was fined $5,000 by the NHL Department of Player Safety for the hit. While some fans are now expecting Florida to seek revenge in Game 5, others slammed the league for not doing enough to protect players.
NHL Fans React to Leafs’ Max Domi Being Fined, Not Suspended
The incident happened as time expired in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round series between Florida and Toronto at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday, May 11. Domi checked Barkov from behind, slamming him hard into the boards. The hit set off a full-on melee, with Bobb McMann, Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad all receiving 10-minute misconduct penalties. Domi was given a five-minute major for boarding.
On Monday, the NHL Department of Player Safety issued a $5,000 fine — the maximum allowed under the current CBA.
Toronto’s Max Domi has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for boarding Florida’s Aleksander Barkov.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety)
The reaction online was swift and mostly critical of Domi. Many fans felt the hit was dangerous enough to warrant a suspension. Some even said Florida would now be justified in retaliating in Game 5.
Can’t wait for the blood bath https://t.co/z64NknPW0E
— Rocky Mountain Rivals (@RockyMtRivals)
“Ok. We can board AM then. Fair is fair. All good. This is Panthers kinda game,” one fan wrote.
“They set the standard. Ok then,” another posted.
Others turned their attention to what they saw as inconsistent officiating. Some pointed out that Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov appeared to elbow Mitch Marner in the head during the same game and wasn’t penalized.
“Slap on the wrist. Pathetic ‘player safety,'” a fan wrote.
Slap on the wrist. Pathetic “player safety”. pic.twitter.com/rW7OrY3qfc
— AJ 🇺🇸 (@SDajd4)
“But Marner could be elbowed to the head with no penalty. Make it make sense, NHL,” a fan posted.
When asked about Domi’s hit, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube deflected and brought up Kulikov’s elbow instead.
“To me, the Kulikov hit on Marner was 10 times worse,” Berube said.
The Panthers, aiming for their second straight Stanley Cup, tied the series on Sunday with a 2-0 shutout win. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett scored for Florida, while goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves to blank the Leafs.
“We’re mindful that it is one game,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “I don’t believe in momentum when the puck drops on the next game. We’re going to need to fight hard to get back to what was a pretty well-played game by our team.”
Game 5 will take place Wednesday, May 14, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, with the series knotted at 2-2.