As of early Wednesday morning, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta remained in the hospital for observation, according to Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Despite the dangerousness of the hit, which you can see below, Molinari reports that a league source indicates Minnesota Wild forward Nino Niederreiter, the player who sent Maatta flying into the boards at an awkward angle, won't be subject to a suspension as a result. Michael Russo of the Minnesota Star Tribune confirmed that report shortly thereafter.
"You never want to see anything like that," Niederreiter said, per Molinari. "Obviously, I feel bad. It's unfortunate."
The Penguins emerged from the game with a 4-3 victory, but they clearly weren't unscathed. Maatta remains in the hospital, though there has been no update on the blueliner's condition. Pittsburgh team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas was in surgery early Wednesday and unable to provide any new news on Maatta.
UPDATE, 11:45 a.m.: The team announced that Maatta has an "upper-body injury" and will remain in the hospital for the time being.
After sustaining the hit, Maatta remained on the ice for a minute, maybe more, before being helped down the tunnel.
Niederreiter told Russo immediately after the game that the entire situation was unintentional and unfortunate.
"It's unfortunate the whole situation," Niederreiter said, via Russo. "I pushed him and went for a change and I think he toe-picked the same time and the door was open. You never want to see anything like that. Obviously I feel bad."
Maatta, 21, had surgery to remove a tumor in his thyroid gland in Nov. of last year. He returned to the ice for the Penguins just two weeks later.
