NHL schedules hearing with Edler for charging Mike Smith

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler has already spent five minutes in the sin bin for running over Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith, but that might just be the start of his punishment.

The NHL plans to have a chat with Edler, according to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, opening the door to a potential fine or suspension.

The hearing will be conducted over the phone, which means that Edler won’t be suspended for more than five games.

If you missed the hit, you can view it below:

Smith finished what little was left of the second period, but Jason LaBarbera replaced him for the third. Coyotes coach Dave Tippett didn’t update Smith’s status after the game, according to the Arizona Republic’s Sarah McLellan.

Phoenix scored a goal during the ensuing major penalty, but Martin Hanzal and Shane Doan each took two-minute minors that lessened the impact of the opportunity. In the end, Vancouver still earned a 2-1 win on Thursday.

The hit brought up memories of when Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw charged into Smith during the 2012 playoffs. For that incident, Shaw was suspended for three playoff games, although TSN’s Darren Dreger stated at the time that Shaw would have missed the remainder of the series had Smith been hurt as a result.

If you want to see Brendan Shanahan’s ruling on Shaw’s hit and decide if it compares to what Edler did, you can watch it below:

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Doan conducts closed-door meeting after fifth straight loss