The NHL Players’ Association said Wednesday it has filed an appeal on Ryan Hartman’s behalf after the Minnesota Wild forward was suspended 10 games for roughing. Hartman had 48 hours from the league’s ruling Monday night to decide whether to appeal the ban for slamming an opponent's head to the ice with his right forearm,

The winger had a hearing with the league after being assessed a match penalty for pushing Tim Stützle’s face into the ice after a faceoff.

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman has been the talk of the NHL in recent days, after he was tossed from their game on Saturday vs the Ottawa Senators, then later suspended for allegedly trying to smash the face of Tim Stutzle into the Canadian Tire Centre ice during a faceoff. Admittedly… the optics are not good on replay.