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    All-Centennial Team

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    Stanley Cup Champs

    Winchester has scheduled hearing for high-hit on Kelly

    Florida's Jesse Winchester will have a telephone disciplinary hearing at 4:30 tomorrow to discuss his high hit on Chris Kelly last night.


    No penalty was called on the play, and Kelly eventually got up under his own power and skated to the Boston bench.

    The telephone hearing means that Winchester can be suspended for no more than five games. An in-person hearing would allow the NHL Dept. of Player Safety to suspend players beyond five games.




    The replay is rather clear, as Winchester not only A) lifts his skates from the ice, but B) connects with the elbow directly into Kelly's head.

    I don't think Winchester was aiming for Kelly's head; I think he meant to hit the shoulder, Kelly's path of movement just didn't follow through, as he pulled up a split-second before contact. That being said, I would still imagine Winchester will get a game or two as a suspension.

    Winchester has never received more than 43 PIMs in a season, and he has never been suspended previously, which will help him in avoiding a lengthier ban.

    We've already seen 44 games of total suspensions handed out to players a little over a month into the season, which is a product of the NHL doing its best to crack down and punish all illegal hits.