Kreider fined for hitting Eakin with helmet during fight

Chris Kreider has been fined $5,000 for hitting Cody Eakin in the head with his own helmet during a fight last night at Madison Square Garden.

From the NHL’s official press release:

New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for hitting Dallas Stars forward Cody Eakin with his helmet during a fight during NHL Game No. 663 in New York on Tuesday, Jan. 17, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 1:52 of the second period.

The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

A video of the fight can be viewed below, although the incident involving the helmet can’t be seen clearly.

Eakin, of course, had a target on his back all night after hitting Henrik Lundqvist the last time these two teams played one another. Eakin had been on the receiving end of a few hits before he and Kreider dropped gloves.

Kreider ripped Eakin’s helmet off and took at least one big punch with it still in his hand. Which, for a moment, made it a dangerous weapon.

Kreider has an NHL salary of $5,000,000 this year.