George Parros massively screws up AJ Greer suspension, proving he's learned nothing

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced the format for his discipline regarding the brutal boarding on Calgary's Connor Zary.

A phone hearing dictates a maximum suspension of five games. That is an absolute joke.

Hits on the numbers are exactly what the league constantly claims they want to eradicate from the game.

Greer crashed into the offensive zone and drove Zary face-first into the glass. The young center was completely defenseless.

If the NHL actually cared about protecting its players, this would have been an in-person hearing from the start.

Capping the punishment at five games sends a terrible message to locker rooms across the league.

You simply cannot hit a player from behind at that speed and expect a slap on the wrist.

Operating as a physical sparkplug with a $775,000 cap hit, Greer knows exactly what his role entails.

He averages under 10 minutes of ice time and is paid to finish checks. But this crossed a massive line.

Player Safety usually looks at the point of contact and the vulnerability of the receiver. This checked every single box for a severe ban.

Instead, the disciplinary committee is taking the easy way out.

The Panthers are locked in a tight playoff race, and a lengthy suspension was fully warranted here to set a standard. While they sit 13 points out, if one team were to pull off a comeback, it would be the ones who've won two straight cups.

Expect a token two or three-game ban to come down shortly, completely missing the point of actual player protection.

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