The wait is over: justice has been served by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety following the high-voltage conclusion to Game 4 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. After a vicious hit on Aleksander Barkov ignited chaos at Amerant Bank Arena, the league has issued a hefty fine to one of Auston Matthews’ teammates.
The Maple Leafs let their emotions get the better of them after being shutout by Sergei Bobrovsky’s Panthers in a pivotal Game 4 matchup in Sunrise. The series between Toronto and Florida has had no shortage of controversial actions, and their fourth meeting was no exception.
It was the tightest game of the series so far, with both teams running into stellar goaltending. Every puck battle was fiercely contested, and no transition through the neutral zone went unnoticed, as bodies collided with intensity all over the ice.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson pushed up the pace in the third period with a blindside hit on Evan Rodrigues, who missed the rest of the game. However, the Leafs saved their biggest, yet worst, hit of the night for the final seconds.
Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers looks on during the first period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena on April 28, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
With the game all but decided, the Leafs’ emotions ran high as the Panthers drained the clock with the puck against the boards. Max Domi had enough and decided to send a message with a brutal hit on the back of Aleksander Barkov, who collided head-first into the wall, as fisticuffs ensued between every player on the ice.
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Player Safety’s ruling
Now, the NHL has stepped in, and the Department of Player Safety has confirmed a significant sanction for Auston Matthews’ teammate, Max Domi—though no suspension was issued.
“Toronto’s Max Domi has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for boarding Florida’s Aleksander Barkov,” the NHL Department of Player Safety announced on its social media account.
Max Domi #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0.
Mixed feelings
While the economic verdict is the maximum allowable under the CBA, the Panthers still feel the Leafs got away lightly with such a reckless action, as Barkov could’ve been severely injured because of a non-hockey play collision.
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Moreover, the league may be setting a questionable precedent by allowing Domi to suit up for Game 5 following such a dangerous hit—one that is likely to draw a response from the Panthers. Needless to say, the NHL’s decision has set the stage for a charged showdown on May 14, with on-ice officials certain to have their hands full.
