Call it addition by subtraction.
It won't be difficult for Flyers head coach Craig Berube to find Rinaldo's replacement.
Rinaldo has been suspended before this Ruhwedel incident. He's an NHL repeat offender. He was suspended for two games in 2012 for a charging collision against Detroit D Jonathan Ericsson in February.
Ruhwedel suffered a concussion at the elbow of Rinaldo.
Thanks, NHL.com
Rinaldo has been suspended for four games, without pay, for his greasy, disrespectful blow to the head of Buffalo Sabres D Chad Ruhwedel on Sunday night.
Rinaldo crossed the blurry line (for the umpteenth time) at 4:29 of the third period. Rinaldo was assessed a match penalty for his illegal check to the head of the vulnerable Sabres defender.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Rinaldo will forfeit $15,384.60. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund
Rinaldo told CSN Philly's Tim Panaccio:
"It's just unfortunate it has to be the remainder of the regular season," Rinaldo said. "I was in a good groove, I was feeling good playing. It's just unfortunate it's for the remainder of the regular season and I can't be playing the rest of the season."It's just one of those hits that kind of slipped away from me. Some bad timing and little vulnerability on his side of the puck, too, so my bad and his bad at the same time."
Rinaldo must be kidding, right? He alleges that Ruhwedel was partially to blame for the Philly head hunter tattooing his dome. That makes zero sense.
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The NHL Department of Player Safety missed another glorious opportunity to suspend a flagrant head shot. Flyers cement head Jay Rosehill smoked Sabres goalie Nathan Lieuwen in the head with a heavy elbow. Rosehill was assessed a minor penalty when he should have been slapped with a five minute major and a ten minute misconduct for his gratuitous Rule 48 violation.
Philly typical.
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