Leon Draisaitl fined for spear on Chris Tierney

No suspension, but one of the Oilers forwards is still going to be a little lighter in the pocketbook.

Leon Draisaitl has been fined by the NHL for his spear on Chris Tierney during Game 4 of the series between the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks. It was reported that the Edmonton Oilers forward was going to avoid a suspension, which he did, but he was still fined the maximum amount.

Frustrations for the Oilers were at a high when Draisaitl decided to spear Tierney. The Sharks won Game 4 over the Oilers by a whopping 7-0 score. Despite the frustrations of the game, the NHL and NHL Player Safety set a precedent by fining Draisaitl the maximum allowable amount by the collective bargaining agreement.

Not only did Draisaitle get fined for the spear, but he also received a five-minute penalty and a game misconduct, leaving Edmonton a man short on their forward lines for the remainder of the game.

The $2,569.44 that Draisaitl was fined isn’t a large sum for the forward, who is making $925,000/year for the Oilers, but it sets a precedent that this type of play is unacceptable. The fine money goes directly to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. The Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund is there to assist former NHL players that have suffered career-ending injuries, cannot support themselves and need monetary assistance, along with many other possible situations.

As reported by multiple outlets and stated above, Draisaitl will not be receiving a suspension for the incident in Game 4 against San Jose. Draisaitl will, therefore, be ready to play for Game 5 in Edmonton on Thursday night. And despite many calling for a suspension for the spear, the fact that Draisaitl has no past suspensions plays in his favor in this situation.