The NHL Department of Player Safety has opted not to suspend Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud for a hit that injured Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies during a game on November 20, 2024.

In their assessment, Player Safety concluded that Whitecloud executed a legal full-body check, approaching at the right angle and not excessively elevating to make contact with Knies' head.

They outlined that for a violation of Rule 48 concerning illegal checks to the head, both the head being the main point of contact and the avoidability of head contact must be established.

A video released by Player Safety on November 21, 2024, compared Whitecloud's hit to others that resulted in suspensions, noting that while there was head contact, the primary impact was with Knies' body.

On-ice officials reviewed the hit and deemed it worthy of a minor penalty for roughing, which frustrated the Toronto crowd.

Toronto's Simon Benoit received a double minor for roughing after confronting Whitecloud, expressing his discontent with the referee's decision.

The incident occurred in the second period of the game, which the Leafs won 3-0, as Whitecloud checked Knies while he was carrying the puck over the red line.

Knies has been a significant contributor to the Leafs' offense, recording 12 points in 20 games, particularly in the absence of star player Auston Matthews, who has been sidelined since November 11, 2024.

Leafs coach Craig Berube defended the legality of the hit, describing it as a traditional hockey play and confirmed that Knies was feeling okay after the incident.

The video released by Player Safety also highlighted three recent hits involving head contact, including Whitecloud's, to explain their decision.