"Andy Sutton spent the afternoon in New York, pleading his case to NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan on Monday.

He must have done a decent job because Shanahan is taking some time to think about it before handing down a decision.

Sutton hit Colorado rookie Gabriel Landeskog last Friday, an open ice shot with his elbow down, but he's five inches taller than Landeskog and made contact with the head, so he's on the carpet.

In the meantime, players are wondering whether to risk throwing body checks if a bang-bang, north-south, elbow down open ice hit with no injury warrants five games."