Preds’ Cole Smith given major penalty for hit to head on Sharks’ Ty Dellandrea

Nashville Predators forward Cole Smith was given a game misconduct for a hit to the head on San Jose Sharks forward Ty Dellandrea during the 2nd period of Thursday night’s contest.

Dellandrea needed help off the ice from Sharks medical staff as a scrum ensued around him and the benches. The Sharks later announced that Dellandrea would not return to the game due to an upper-body injury.

The NHL rulebook states that “a match penalty shall be imposed on any player who deliberately attempts to injure or who deliberately injures an opponent in any manner.”

The 24-year-old has five points and 26 penalty minutes in 40 games this season with San Jose.

The Sharks acquired Dellandrea from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick during the off-season.

Dellandrea made his NHL debut with the Stars in the 2020-21 season after wrapping up a strong junior career with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds. He won a gold medal while serving as an alternate captain for Team Canada at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Meanwhile, Smith has never been suspended throughout his five years in the NHL. The 29-year-old has five points in 35 games this season.

Last season, Smith and the Predators agreed to a two year contract extension which has an average annual value of $1 million.

Smith tallied a career high nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points and and 63 penalty minutes in 80 games during the 2023-24 campaign. Smith had two multi-goal games and recorded a five-game point streak.

In 2022-23 he recorded four goals and 13 assists for 17 points in 69 appearances during his first full NHL campaign; according to our friends at HockeyFights.com, he racked up six fighting majors.