The London Knights are known to be a physically intimidating team led by Head Coach Dale Hunter and GM Mark Hunter. They want players who play with a chip on their shoulder and play their style of hockey.
However, that intense level of physicality is getting them in trouble, as the team has seen another one of their forwards get suspended.
During the game where Ryder Boulton was suspended for eight games due to his brutal slash against Zayne Parekh, Kasper Halttunen also delivered a significant hit from behind on Saginaw defenseman James Guo in the second period.
Halttunen was suspended pending a review, which has now concluded. It has been decided that he will serve a four-game suspension. The hit in question can be viewed below.
As Guo attempts to take the pass from behind his net, he is met with a vicious blindside hit square on the numbers from the San Jose Sharks 2023 second-rounder.
With the angle Halttunen took, he had a clear view of Guo’s numbers. He can’t throw that kind of hit. Those are the kinds of hits that can leave a player with a serious injury. Luckily, James Guo was able to get up and skate off, but it was definitely worthy of a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.
Now, was it worthy of a four-game suspension? Maybe that’s a bit rich, considering the player who was checked on the play ended up fine and continued playing the rest of the game.
Clearly, the league has sent a message that hits like that will not be tolerated, even if the player involved in the incident ends up being okay. This is probably the right call by the OHL’s Department of Player Safety since major junior hockey can get reckless at times.
This is the London Knights’ third significant suspension of the season. Ryder Boulton as mentioned is serving his eight-game suspension and Landon Sim made headlines again for his five-game suspension earlier this season.
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Halttunen’s suspension was officially announced on Nov. 25 via the OHL’s official X account.
#OHL Disciplinary Action:
London’s Kasper Halttunen has been suspended for four games as a result of actions (Major, Checking from Behind) on Nov. 23rd at Saginaw.
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 25, 2024
He has served three games of his suspension and is eligible to return on Friday, Dec. 6, when the Knights host the Oshawa Generals in the first rematch since these two teams faced off in the OHL Finals last spring.
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