Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will be a healthy scratch against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday due to his recent propensity for taking penalties, coach Dean Evason said.
Evason announced his decision on Minnesota radio station KFAN1003. The move to send Hartman to the press box comes on the heels of defenseman Matt Dumba recently being benched for two consecutive games following a stretch of poor play.
“Message received,” Hartman said of Evason’s decision, per The Athletic. Hartman also said that he’d make the same decision if he were in Evason’s shoes.
Hartman, 28, has been whistled for 21 minutes in penalties over his last three games, including a hooking infraction against Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos late in the Wild’s 4-2 loss to the Lightning on Tuesday.
“We talk about accountability,” Evason said. “He’s going to be accountable for his actions in the last game.”
After scoring a career-high 34 goals last season, Hartman has just five to go along with nine assists and 47 penalty minutes in 25 games in 2022-23.
Hartman has totaled 210 points (97 goals, 113 assists) in 472 career games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Flyers and Wild.
–Field Level Media