The play occurred late in the third period of the Bruins' 6-3 victory. It quickly prompted a fight at center ice as Boston blueliner Matt Grzelcyk stepped up in defense of his teammate, who was playing just his second game since returning from a concussion.
The department declared the decision for a two-game ban stemmed from "the force of the hit and the predatory nature of the hit itself." It's the first suspension of Hyman's career.
The 26-year-old Hyman has recorded 15 points in 30 games this season and is eligible to return Dec. 15 against the Florida Panthers.
The Carolina Hurricanesrecalled the 29-year-old goaltender Sunday, just nine days after he cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL's Charlotte Checkers.
Darling has appeared in five games with Charlotte this season, coming away with three wins and a .911 save percentage. But his numbers haven't been as strong in Carolina, where he owns a 2-4-1 record and .892 save rate in seven appearances.
Darling is under contract through 2020-21 at a $4.15-million cap hit.
The play in question occurred midway through the third period of Saturday's contest when Hyman hit McAvoy in the corner:
Hyman was assessed a five-minute major for interference, plus a fighting major and a game misconduct after an ensuing scrum with Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.
With the William Nylander saga wrapped up, one of the next major tasks facing Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas could be fending off potential suitors for Auston Matthews, who'll be a restricted free agent following this season.
"There is widespread feeling within the industry that Auston Matthews would be the rare player who would be targeted by an offer sheet," Sportsnet's Chris Johnston said during Hockey Night in Canada's "Headlines" segment.
Offer sheets in today's NHL are a rare occurrence. The last player to sign one was Ryan O'Reilly with the Calgary Flames in 2013, but the Colorado Avalanche quickly matched it and retained his services.
Matthews would have to be willing to sign a potential offer sheet, and he and the Maple Leafs have until July 1 before another team could attempt to poach the 21-year-old superstar. Mitch Marner is scheduled to join Matthews in restricted free agency next summer.
The spirited affair was physical from the puck drop, but intensity ramped up considerably in the final frame, with the familiar foes engaging in multiple fights.
Although Nazem Kadri and Brandon Carlo had already dropped the gloves earlier in the game, things started getting out of hand after Zach Hyman caught Charlie McAvoy, who was playing just his second game since returning from a lengthy concussion absence, with a late hit in the corner.
Hyman immediately had to answer to Matt Grzelcyk before being assessed a five minute major for interference, while McAvoy missed a few shifts before returning to the bench.
Hiring Ken Hitchcock may be Peter Chiarelli's best move as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers.
The Oilers are 6-2-1 under Hitchcock, and 6-1-1 when Connor McDavid has been in the lineup. Under former head coach Todd McLellan, Edmonton was 9-10-1.
Hitchcock has implemented a few changes, but none bigger than ingraining his low-support system into the minds of his players. Edmonton's forwards are coming lower with and without the puck in the defensive zone, and it's paying dividends.
Here's a screenshot from the Oilers' final game under McLellan - a 6-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. When Vegas has the puck behind the net, Edmonton's wingers Zack Kassian (No. 44) and Jujhar Khaira (No. 16) are hanging high in the zone while defending the point. That leaves a Golden Knights skater wide open in the slot.
NHL.com
In Edmonton's most recent game - a 7-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Friday - there was a noticeable change. When Minnesota has the puck behind the net, all five Oilers skaters are camped below the hash marks, prohibiting the Wild from making a dangerous pass into the slot.
NHL.com
Hitchcock's low-support system is also leading to some significant changes when the Oilers have the puck.
During one sequence in McLellan's last game, Darnell Nurse brought the puck up the ice. Leon Draisaitl is at the bottom of the screenshot below as he waits for a pass that can't be made because an off-screen Golden Knights player is lurking in the neutral zone.
McDavid is also off the screen waiting in the neutral zone for a pass. With no open outlets, Nurse takes a few more strides before he's forced to dump the puck, resulting in an icing.
NHL.com
Under Hitchcock, the Oilers' forwards are taught to support the defensemen on the breakout. Here, blue-liner Adam Larsson wins the puck battle, then Draisaitl retrieves the loose biscuit, and he hits a swooping McDavid in stride for an easy breakout with the club's best player leading the charge.
NHL.com
Getting Edmonton's forwards the puck earlier during the breakout is key. The Oilers don't have any defensemen who thrive while skating with the puck from zone to zone, or while making long stretch passes - which is what McLellan was asking out of his blue-liners.
McDavid, meanwhile, is arguably the best puck carrier in the NHL, as evidenced by his league-leading 248 controlled zone entries, according to The Point Hockey. Second-line center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also excels at skating from zone to zone with the puck.
The improvements after Hitchcock's changes have been substantial. Under McLellan, the Oilers were out shot at 5-on-5 nine times in 20 games, but with Hitchcock they've been out shot at 5-on-5 just once, and it was by a single shot during Friday's drubbing of the Wild, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Yet, the most important result of the schematic changes is the impact on the Oilers' goaltending. Here's a look at the performances of Mikko Koskinen and Cam Talbot since Hitchcock took over:
Stat
Mikko Koskinen
Cam Talbot
GP
4-1-1
2-1-0
GAA
1.82
2.29
SV%
.934
.925
The Oilers still severely lack forward depth and mobility on the back end. But by getting his players to buy into his system - and giving his star player more ice time - Hitchcock has Edmonton trending in the right direction, with the team sitting just one point out of the playoffs.
The Anaheim Ducks signed general manager Bob Murray to a two-year extension, the team announced Saturday, putting him under contract through the 2021-22 season.
"Bob has created a winning organization with his commitment and expertise," said Ducks Chief Executive Officer Michael Schulman. "We are very pleased to be in a position where expectations are high virtually every season, thanks in large part to Bob and his staff. We passionately share a common goal - bringing another Stanley Cup to Orange County."
Murray has worked in the Ducks' front office since 2005, serving as the general manger since 2008. He's been a finalist for GM of the Year three times, winning in 2013-14.
