Flames' Hartley fined $25,000 by NHL
Calgary Flames head coach Bob Hartley has been fined $25,000 for what the League says is "his responsibility for the incident that took place
off of the opening face-off."
NHL VP of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell had this to say on Hartley's role:
"We are holding Mr. Hartley responsible for the actions of Flames' right wing Kevin Westgarth, who took the game's opening face-off and attempted to instigate a premeditated fight with an unwilling opponent -- the Canucks' Kevin Bieksa."
Canucks coach John Tortorella has been suspended for 15 days for his part of the incident.
The Vancouver Province reported that Hartley instructed the the enforcer to "make something happen." Tony Gallagher writes:
A person in position to know of such things, but who must remain nameless, has said that Kevin Bieksa, who apparently knows Calgary’s Kevin Westgarth, was told during their extended discussion at centre ice before the brawl started that the Flames tough guy admitted they’d been sent out to make something happen.
The NHL went on to clarify Hartley's actions violated rule 17.3, "for conduct prejudicial to or against the welfare of the League."