Canadiens rookie Slafkovsky barred 2 games for boarding recent Red Wings call-up

The NHL has suspended Montreal Canadiens rookie forward Juraj Slafkovsky two games for boarding Detroit Red Wings forward Matt Luff.

The incident occurred in the third period of Montreal's 3-2 shootout win at Detroit on Tuesday.

Slafkovsky, the first overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft, was assessed a major and game misconduct for driving Luff head-first into the boards with a check from behind.

"As far as the hit, the right call was made. It's unfortunate," Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde told reporters. "It's the exact hit you want to try to avoid, because of exactly what happened. A player got seriously injured. It is what it is. The right call was made. And we move on."

Slafkovsky's 15 penalty minutes bring his season total to 19 through 10 games to go with three goals.

The 18-year-old will forfeit $10,270 US in salary and miss Montreal's game Wednesday night against visiting Vancouver and Saturday when the Canadiens host Pittsburgh.

Slafkovsky is eligible to return Oct. 15 at home versus New Jersey.

Luff, meanwhile, didn't return to Tuesday's game and according to Lalonde won't be in the lineup "anytime soon," likely following a timeline like forward Filip Zadina, who is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

Luff, 25, scored his first goal as a Red Wing in Sunday's 3-2 overtime over the hometown New York Rangers. He has appeared in seven games with Detroit after starting the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League, with whom he collected three goals and seven points in five contests.

"It's unfortunate," Lalonde told Detroit reporters. "He's been great for us. You feel for him, because those guys on that bubble of being an everyday NHLer, he gets an extended look, he does really good in it."