Nazem Kadri penalized for rule 48 violation after elbowing Oilers’ Fraser in the head

Nazem Kadri can’t seem to avoid controversy. Or suspensions…

Playing in only his second game since being suspended by the Toronto Maple Leafs for three games last week, Kadri was penalized for a rule 48 violation when he caught Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Fraser with an elbow to the head, injuring the 24-year-old forward.  

Here’s the play in question. It’s not clear if Kadri stuck his elbow out, or if he was just trying to get around Fraser and struck him in the head accidentally. Whatever happened in that split second only Kadri knows for sure, but this was reckless at best:

(Courtesy: Sportsnet)

Fraser had to be helped off of the ice by teammates as a result, and was clearly woozy. 

After serving his penalty, Kadri was hit in the numbers by veteran Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference. There was no penalty on the dangerous and probably retributive hit. Shortly thereafter Kadri appeared to be assessed a game misconduct along with teammate Tyler Bozak late in the contest, although for now the official game sheet just shows Bozak racking up 24 personal penalties in minutes as a result of the incident. 

Whatever the official call, Kadri left the ice before the end of the contest. Matt Iaboni of MapleLeafs.com suggests that perhaps Kadri was feeling some ill effects from the hit he took from Ference in the third frame. 

Could Kadri be hearing from the Department of Player Safety as a result of his awkward and injurious elbow on Fraser?