PITTSBURGH – The irony is inescapable.
Eric Lindros, the individual who stands to most benefit from an NHL get-tough(er) policy on blows to the head as outlined in a Colin Campbell preseason memo, has become the first to pay the price, suspended for last night’s match against the Penguins in the aftermath of his club to the side of Stephane Quintal’s head in Friday’s 4-1 Garden defeat to Montreal.
There were fewer than four minutes to go in the game when No. 88, fishing for a free puck in the offensive left circle, had his skates pulled out from under him by Quintal’s partner, Ron Hainsey. On his knees, Lindros raised his stick and then caught Quintal on the left side of the head on the downswing.
A year ago, Lindros may have escaped with the maximum $1,000 fine. But not this season.
In a Sept. 19 memo entitled, “Player Disciplinary Procedures for 2002-03 Season,” distributed to all clubs and players, and obtained by The Post, Campbell states, “Please be advised with respect to the following types of acts, we intend to impose more severe discipline than in the past, including suspensions where none might have been imposed in prior seasons . . . [acts such as] any blow to the head delivered by forceful use of the stick.
“We intend to carefully review any and all such acts . . . everyone is on notice.”
“The league was right to suspend me,” Lindros said. “There’s no way that I meant to deliberately swing my stick in that fashion, my eyes were on the puck, I was trying to find the puck, but I did hit another player in the head.”