Jets' Perreault rips NHL after nasty elbow goes unpunished
Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault had some fighting words for the league following a vicious elbow to the face from Jake Virtanen that went unpunished.
After hearing there would be no disciplinary action for the Canucks forward by the NHL Department of Player Safety, Perreault was blunt about his displeasure with the league’s lack of action.
And he has a very legit reason to be angry.
Cheap shot delivered by Jake Virtanen. pic.twitter.com/7dnsqkQ9un— JetsNation (@NHLJetsNation) January 15, 2020
“I'm not surprised to be honest...player safety my ass,” Perreault told reporters on Thursday. “This is literally an elbow to the face to a guy that didn't have the puck.”
There was no penalty called on the play, and Perreault was visibly enraged with officials and the Canucks bench. The NHL can still assess a suspension post-game without a penalty being called on the play, but in this case, there was no further action.
Angry Perreault! Never see him this angry... pic.twitter.com/LJmdNJS01I
— JetsNation (@NHLJetsNation) January 15, 2020
“I don't really know what to say,” Perreault added. “I can't really protect myself, and if the league's not going to protect me – I'm the smallest guy on the ice – and if I can't really fight anybody then the only thing I can do to defend myself is use my stick.”
Perreault, 5’10”, left quite the statement for whoever tries to lay a dirty hit on him next.
“So the next guy that does that to me, he's going to get my f---ing stick. And I better not get suspended for it.”
You’ve been warned.
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