If George Parros or Bill Daly calls Boston Bruins President Cam Neely on Monday, it will serve as a gentle reminder of how things used to be done in the National Hockey League in the year 2023.
During Saturday night's 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Rangers at TD Garden, NESN site reporter Gayle Troiani had pointed out that Trent Frederic was just one assist away from everyone's all-time favorite vintage hockey hat trick, the "Gordie (Howe)."
The game's first goal was scored by Frederic early in the second period. He then got his revenge on Rangers captain Jacob Trouba, whose two-handed stick strike to Frederic's head on November 25 in New York was only fined the maximum $5,000 by the NHL after the fact.
Although the meager fine is subject to collective bargaining, it was the most humiliating miss of the NHL on-ice officials' season and damaged the reputation of the league's Department of Player Safety.
In that game, Frederic was pushing Trouba's top hand away from the Boston net during a post-whistle altercation.
As the Rangers captain retreated, he dismissed the Boston Bruins winger's gesture and carried on with the motion into a forceful swing that forcefully jarred the side of the Boston forward's helmet.
Despite the plastic shield, Trouba's aggressive hack had the potential to ruin Frederic's career. (One up for the hockey helmet that gets ridiculed a lot.)
Frederic was undoubtedly outraged more when he saw the replay than when it had happened.