Golden Knights’ Brett Howden suspended two games for illegal hit

In the third period of Tuesday night’s game between Vegas and Seattle, Howden was assessed a match penalty and a game misconduct for his hit on Tanev.

Howden delivers a high, hard bodycheck that makes the head the main point of contact, on a hit where such head contact was avoidable,” said the league in their announcement. “This is an illegal check to the head.”

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Howden will forfeit $19,791.66. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Howden has never been fined or suspended in his NHL career.

The Golden Knights won the game 4-1. It was each team’s first game of the season.

Howden, 25, recorded six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 54 games with the Golden Knights in 2023-24. He appeared in 21 playoff games, scoring five goals and four assists for nine points, helping Vegas win their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.

In 279 career NHL games, Howden has 31 goals, 51 assists for 82 points. He was drafted 27th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Tanev, 31, had 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points in 82 games last season with Seattle. Now in his ninth NHL season, Tanev has 67 goals and 75 assists for 142 points in 407 career games.