William Nylander Fined by NHL After On-Air Incident

According to the NHL, and a post by NHL Player Safety, William Nylander has been fined for giving the middle finger to the live television audience and fans when he was caught in the pressbox on camera and didn’t want to be.

---

They wrote in a statement:

“Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander has been fined $5,000 for making an inappropriate gesture during NHL Game No. 819 in Toronto on Sunday, Jan. 25, the National Hockey League announced today.”

The release adds that Nylander’s gesture is a violation of the League’s policy, which prohibits inappropriate and offensive remarks and the use of obscene, profane, or abusive language or gestures in the game.

Nylander directed an inappropriate gesture at a television camera operator while the camera was directed at him and his teammates in the press box. He was either aware or it was just his bad luck that the gesture was shown live on-air during the game broadcast.” NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety George Parros said, “This serves as a reminder the code of conduct governing Players extends throughout the arena at NHL games and in public game situations.”

The NHL noted that the money will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

As expected, most fans are laughing off the fine and punishment as $5K will teach Nylander absolutely nothing. It’s a drop in the bucket for him and the fine is hardly a deterrent.

Nylander did apologize and said his frustrations got the better of him. He wanted to be playing and out there with the guys. He said he received a text message saying his gesture was seen on tv. His response was, “Oh.. not a good idea.”

Nylander was lighthearted during the media scrum, where he addressed fans and others. He didn’t seem terribly bothered.

Next: Mental Mistakes? Maple Leafs Must Escape First-Period Slumps