A five-minute major and game misconduct for spearing the Capitals’ Max Pacioretty in the first period of Saturday’s game was not enough of a punishment for Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk in the eyes of the National Hockey League.

But in terms of supplement discipline, it was about as ‘good’ as it gets for Grzelcyk on Sunday morning, with the NHL Department of Player Safety announcing a $5,000 fine for the Charlestown, Mass. native.

From a discipline point of view, a fine will always beat a suspension. And that was almost always going to be the case with this Grzelcyk-Pacioretty incident, as the NHL Department of Player Safety, which is led by George Parros, failed to announce a hearing of any sort for Grzelcyk following Saturday’s Bruins-Capitals showdown. (That was if they were going to hand down any supplemental discipline at all.)

This is also the first fine of Grzelcyk’s NHL career.

• Matt Grzelcyk gets a game misconduct for spearing on this play pic.twitter.com/UbvwbBLsYO

  — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 10, 2024

  Not exactly known as the most physical presence, Grzelcyk’s infraction, which occurred at the 18:13 mark of the first period, was one where you were left to legitimately wonder the intent.

  Given Grzelcyk’s size — the puck-moving defender is listed at 5-foot-9 and under 180 pounds — one of his go-to moves in the defensive-zone (and more specifically in front of the net) is a tie-up attempt that locks the opponent’s stick or body up. He’s done this move about one thousand times throughout his Bruins career. And it appeared that Grzelcyk tried that with Pacioretty and simply missed… in the worst possible area.

  Spearing is also a non-negotiable penalty of sorts, as any player who is whistled for making contact with a spear (and Grzelcyk certainly did) is assessed a five-minute major, and any spearing penalty that warrants a five-minute major also triggers an automatic game misconduct.

• 

  Feb 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (74) helps left wing Max Pacioretty (67) off of the ice after being speared by defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (not seen) during the first period at the TD Garden. Grzelcyk received a game misconduct. (Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports)

  The Capitals would score on that five-minute major as it bled over into the second period behind T.J. Oshie’s game-opening strike, which featured a primary helper from Pacioretty.

  TJ Oshie gives the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 1:05 of the second period while on the power play. pic.twitter.com/3axnjIYkFa

  — Belle Fraser (@bellefraser1) February 10, 2024

  In addition to the assist, Pacioretty added one hit and one shot on goal in just under 14 minutes of action, and really only missed his final shift of the opening frame following Grzelcyk’s spear.

• 

  Feb 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (48) skates against Washington Capitals defenseman Ethan Bear (25) during the first period at the TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports)

  With Grzelcyk booted from the game, the Bruins asked Parker Wotherspoon to step up, and Wotherspoon finished the loss with eight hits in 19:36 of time on ice. It was Wotherspoon’s largest workload since he logged a season-high 21:28 of time on ice in Boston’s overtime loss to the Coyotes back on Jan. 9.

  Grzelcyk, who is in the final year of his current contract and a pending unrestricted free agent, has put up two goals and seven points, along with 42 shots and 43 blocked shots, through 37 games this season.

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