Panthers’ Jesse Puljujarvi suspended two games for hit on Lightning’s Mitchell Chaffee
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday that Florida Panthers forward Jesse Puljujarvi has been suspended for two games as a result of an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee.
The incident occured midway through the third period of Tuesday’s contest between the Atlantic Division rivals. Puljujarvi was assessed a match penalty following the play, while Chaffee left the game with an upper-body injury and did not return.
Signing with the Panthers in early March as an unrestricted free agent, Puljujarvi has since appeared in five games with the club in which he has collected one goal. Prior to joining the Panthers, Puljujarvi saw 26 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins this season in which he registered three goals and six assists for nine points. Puljujarvi also appeared in four games with the minor-league Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in which he scored once and added two assists for three points.
In early February, Puljujarvi was placed on unconditional waivers for the purposes of contract termination. Two days later, the 26-year-old forward signed with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, the Panthers’ farm club, on a professional tryout. With the Checkers, Puljujarvi posted five goals and seven assists for 12 points through 20 appearances.
Originally chosen fourth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2016 NHL Draft, Puljujarvi has totaled 387 career contests with the Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Penguins, and Panthers in which he has tallied 58 goals and 70 assists for 128 points. With the Oilers in 2021-22, Puljujarvi reached a career-high 36 points coming in 65 games. Puljujarvi has also added six points through 27 postseason appearances.
The opening round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs will see the Panthers and Lightning face off, with Game 1 coming Tuesday in Tampa Bay. The state rivals went head-to-head four times in the regular season with each side taking two wins apiece.