Jesse Puljujarvi Suspended for Hit against Tampa Bay Lightning

The NHL suspended Florida Panthers forward Jesse Puljujarvi two games for his hit to the head on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee during the third period of Tuesday’s 5-1 loss.

The Panthers sent Puljujarvi back to the AHL Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday.

The suspension, however, will be waiting for him when he comes back.

If the Panthers were to call Puljujarvi back, which would be likely once Charlotte’s season is complete, he would be ineligible to play for Florida until he sits those two games.

Puljujarvi was assessed a 5-minute match penalty for that check to the head with the Panthers down 4-1 at the time.

The Panthers signed Puljujarvi to an AHL contract with the Checkers when he and the Penguins agreed to a contract termination in February so he could latch on with another club.

He signed an NHL deal with the Panthers before the trade deadline, and was called up to the Panthers

Puljujarvi, the fourth-overall pick of the 2016 draft by Edmonton, had played in 382 NHL games before joining the Panthers.

He had hip problems in the past, but coach Paul Maurice loved how he used his size to get to the front of the net.

He used that size to score a goal with the Panthers last Saturday against the Sabres, inadvertently deflecting a knuckleballing point shot from Uvis Balinskis to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead.

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND: GAME 1

FLORIDA PANTHERS at TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING 

• When: Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.
• Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• National TV: ESPN
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Series Schedule — Game 1 at Tampa: Tuesday, 8:30; Game 2 at Tampa: Thursday, 6:30; Game 3 at Florida: Saturday, 1; Game 4 at Florida: Monday, April 28 (TBA); Game 5* at Tampa: Wednesday, April 30 (TBA); Game 6* at Florida: Friday, May 2 (TBA); Game 7* at Tampa: Sunday, May 4 (TBA).
• Season Series (Tied 2-2)
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 79-53-19, 10 ties
• All-Time Postgame Series: Tampa Bay Leads 2-1 (won 2021 first-round, 2022 ECS); Florida d. Lightning 4-1 in 2024 first-round.