Guerin upset with Hartman suspension: 'He's got to do a better job'

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is calling on Ryan Hartman to clean up his act after the forward received a 10-game suspension earlier this week.

Hartman's lengthy roughing ban was handed down after he drove the head of Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle into the ice on a faceoff. It's the fifth suspension of Hartman's career and fourth in less than two years.

"No more wiggle room," Guerin told The Athletic's Michael Russo.

Guerin added: "It affects the team. It affects him. This is a big hit for him financially. It's the other player that gets hurt or possibly could have. Ryan is a good player. Not too many guys play his brand of hockey, but he's got to do a better job of not crossing the line. He knows it."

Hartman is surrendering $487,804.44 of his salary due to the suspension, Russo notes. He's eligible to return to the lineup March 9.

The Wild are already without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov due to injury as they battle for playoff seeding in the Western Conference. Minnesota currently holds the third spot in the Central Division, two points clear of the Colorado Avalanche with a game in hand.

"I do worry about him," Guerin said. "He's one of my players. He's got to do a better job. He's worked at it. I know he has. We've had a lot of discussions about it."

Hartman's recorded 17 points in 48 games this season, his sixth with the Wild.