QMJHL player suspended 7 games for nasty check from behind

Update: Since this article was published on Oct. 15, Peyton Hoyt has been suspended seven games, according to Mikaël Lalancette of TVA Sports and Stephane Leroux of RDS. As of Oct. 17, Kale McCallum has yet to play another QMJHL game with the Saint John Sea Dogs.

A questionable hit by Peyton Hoyt of the QMJHL’s Val-d’Or Foreurs has landed the 20-year-old forward in plenty of hot water.

According to Jamie Tozer of Station Nation, Éric Chouinard — the league’s Director of Player Safety — suspended Hoyt indefinitely for his check from behind on Kale McCallum, a rookie defenceman with the Saint John Sea Dogs. The incident occurred midway through the second period of Friday night’s contest between the two sides.

Hoyt was assessed a five-minute major for checking from behind and a match penalty.

According to Tozer, McCallum was taken off the ice on a stretcher and lost plenty of blood as a result of the collision. After spending the night in hospital, he was released on Saturday and is at home recovering, per the Sea Dogs’ official Twitter account. Any additional information, such as the number and extent of his injuries, is unavailable at this time.

There is no doubt that Hoyt came at the young rearguard aggressively and he should pay the price for what happened. Seven strides can be counted from the neutral zone until he began to glide just before the red line and crashed into McCallum. What made matters worse, though, was the vulnerable position McCallum put himself in moments ahead of the hit.

After he picked up the puck on the half boards and skated behind his net, the 17-year-old hesitated for a moment. Instead of quickly stopping up to change directions in an attempt to avoid Hoyt, he slowed down and turned slightly before being dumped.

To be clear, McCallum wasn’t to blame for this check from behind. However, it can’t be denied that this entire sequence and the actions of all involved were a recipe for disaster.

The disciplinary process will follow the usual protocol, per the Canadian Press. Chouinard will interview the game’s officials, players and members of both organizations. Then, video footage and the facts collected will be reviewed before a final decision is made.

There is currently no timetable for the announcement of the suspension.

The Foreurs went on to win the game 7-5.

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