Skip to content
Flyers
Link copied to clipboard

Shelley to have discipline hearing on Monday

Jody Shelley apologized profusely.

In the NHL, unfortunately, it's the action that matters.

Shelley, who received a 5-minute major and was ejected from Saturday night's win in Boston because of what he said was an accident when he sent Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid dangerously into the boards on an icing call, will have a hearing on Monday with the NHL's discipline committee according to a report by TSN.

An e-mail seeking comment sent by the Daily News to Mike Murphy, a deputy in the NHL's hockey operations department who handles incidents involving the Bruins - since senior VP of hockey operations Colin Campbell's son Gregory plays for Boston – could not confirm or deny the hearing.

"We do examine all dangerous plays in all games," Murphy replied. "It is not our policy to comment on whether or not we're having a hearing or supplementary discipline."

Video of Shelley's hit is below. McQuaid, who said he had the wind knocked out of him, eventually returned later in the second period.

"I didn't go in on my own. I felt like I got pushed. I don't know. I'm not sure. I have to take a look at it, I guess," McQuaid said. "When I was coming off the ice, he was waiting for me there. He said he was sorry and he didn't mean to, so just kind of got to take what he says."

Shelley said he lost the edge on his skate when chasing down McQuaid, which caused both players to go flying.

"I don't intend to go out there and fall on top of a guy on the end boards, especially on an icing like that," Shelley told reporters on Saturday night. "It was a quick play and I'm trying to get to the puck and get around the guy. I lost my edge. Next thing, we're in the boards together. I am glad he is OK. It's one of those things. You don't want to see a guy laying on the ice. The referee had to make that call. I was disappointed that it happened.

"I caught him as he went by and I apologized. I didn't mean to do that. He acknowledged me. I was glad to see him back out there."

Bruins coach Claude Julien also reacted after the game, asking the league for supplementary discipline. The NHL has tried to remove questionable hits on potential icing calls for some time now.

"Well I looked at it again and personally, I didn't think there was any need for it," Julien said. "I don't know what the intention was, but certainly, there was no need for that at all and I think that's one of the things we're trying to get out of game and, I mean, I know [Jody] Shelley a little bit from a long time ago and he's actually a good person and, to me, he's a tough guy. I don't know that he's purposely gone out there to injure people like that so I found that a little bit strange that he would do that. It's unfortunate. Like I said, it's uncalled for. Hopefully the League deals with it the proper way and we'll go from there."

TSN's Bob McKenzie tweeted that the hearing will take place on Monday - well before the Flyers' next game on Tuesday against Pittsburgh.

Get exclusive analysis, video and off-ice features in our new app for iPhone and Android. Download it here.