We Now Know Why the NHL Refused to Suspend Sam Bennett For his Hit on Anthony Stolarz

Sam Bennett became the most hated player in all of Toronto last night after he elbowed Anthony Stolarz in the head and sent him to the hospital.

After puking on the ice, the Maple Leafs decided that Stolarz needed to be taken out of the game. Upon further evaluation, they put him in an ambulance where he went straight to the emergency room.

Today, fans were hoping for the NHL Department of Player Safety to take action and suspend Bennett. That did not happen.

According to reporter Jimmy Murphy, one executive told him why Bennett wasn't suspended by the league, and the reason is a bit controversial.

Essentially, Stolarz had been hit in the mask earlier in the game and there is a belief that this is when the goalie suffered a concussion. Because the league would not be able to determine the true inciting incident, Bennett walked free.

Luckily for the Toronto Maple Leafs, there is actually still a chance that Stolarz plays on Wednesday night in Game 2.

Head coach Craig Berube has not ruled him out, which seems a bit optimistic when you really think about it. Having said that, fans should be excited.

The Maple Leafs are up 1-0 in the series and the Florida Panthers have shown some real cracks. If the Leafs can keep the momentum going, they may shock some people.

Only time will tell whether or not Stolarz truly gets to return in this series. If not, Joseph Woll can certainly handle the work load.