Ducks’ Sami Vatanen gets maximum fine for hit on Toronto’s David Booth

Ducks defenseman Sami Vatanen said he never saw Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Booth skating toward him during the third period of the Ducks’ 4-0 victory.

The NHL saw the encounter quite differently.

The league on Thursday announced that Vatanen has been slapped with a $3,393.82 maximum fine for throwing an elbow at Booth that left the player woozy and requiring assistance off the ice.

An argument could be made that Booth intended to deliver a major hit on Vatanen. The defenseman instead averted pain, subjecting Booth to discomfort.

“I didn’t see the play, I was going toward the puck pretty deep and the guy [Booth] followed behind me,” Vatanen said after the game. “I didn’t see that.”