Mark Scheifele Calls Out NHL Player Safety Dept. over Suspension for Jake Evans Hit

Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele was forced to watch his team get swept by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs after being suspended four games for his illegal hit on Jake Evans in Game 1. 

And he wasn't thrilled with the suspension, telling reporters:

“It’s not fun. It’s definitely not a great feeling. You feel pretty helpless when your team’s out there battling and you’re watching from the stands,” he added. “But the way you handle setbacks is what defines us. So, that’s the mentality I’m taking.”

Scheifele argued he didn't receive much communication from the Department of Player Safety about what he could have done differently on the play in question:

"I think at the end of the day, you regret the outcome of it. I said that over and over. You never want to see a guy hurt, and I'm a guy that respects this game and respects players. I would've loved an answer from [the Department of Player Safety] of what would've been a better thing to do. I've replayed the thing over and over in my mind and the only real thing is if I gave up on my teammates on that play and just didn't back check."

Whatever Scheifele's arguments, his hit was brutal and deemed illegal. He was given a major penalty for charging and a game misconduct.

Evans was knocked out on the play, suffered a concussion and had to be taken off the ice in a stretcher. He also missed the rest of the sweep vs. the Jets following the 5-3 win and resumed off-ice training Tuesday.

"I mean, it's scary," Canadiens forward Paul Byron told reporters after Game 1. "There's your teammate lying on the ice like that unconscious. … When you see your teammate, your friend, lying on the ice like that, it's a terrible feeling."