Why Nikita Zadorov wasn’t suspended for post-play cross check of Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Nikita Zadorov is going to hear the boos in Buffalo on Tuesday night when the Boston Bruins head to Game 5 against the Sabres.
The surprising part, at least to some, is that Zadorov will be on the ice at all after his post-play cross check against Rasmus Dahlin during Game 4 in Boston.
It was quite the bizarre moment, Zadorov deciding to lash out at Dahlin for no reason while nothing else appeared to be happening.
Zadorov goes after Dahlin well after the play #LetsGoBuffalo#NHLBruinspic.twitter.com/aThqC9ZHuG
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) April 26, 2026
In the end, though, the NHL simply fined Zadorov:
The NHL’s department of player safety announced Nikita Zadorov has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Rasmus Dahlin. No suspension.
— Matthew Fairburn (@MatthewFairburn) April 27, 2026
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Why didn’t the NHL suspend Nikita Zadorov?
The basic answer is that it’s unclear.
The league must’ve deemed that this wasn’t an action rising to the level of a suspension.
In the playoffs, there is a lot of physicality after each whistle, so maybe the NHL decided it’d be tough to adjudicate all of that.
This, though, was different in the fact that it was far from mutual and seemed to be specifically sought out by Zadorov.
It’s unlikely that anyone is going to give a very good explanation for the fine vs. suspension decision here. The Sabres will just have to keep their heads on a swivel for any further Zadorov physicality.