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Don’t discount the fact the NHL is feeling the heat from the ever-growing number of former players who are suggesting their concussion symptoms were downplayed or dismissed altogether. Ten years ago, even five years ago, Stone’s hit might have been dismissed as simply part of the game, but it’s a new world.

For all that, though, the league’s discipline office loses its credibility when plays like Zetterberg’s blatant elbow to Pageau’s head are ignored. Was the onus also not on Zetterberg to hit Pageau cleanly? Is an extended elbow not also “reckless”?

Forget any argument about previous rap sheets. Stone and Zetterberg both had clean slates before the weekend.

Stone, who leads the Senators in scoring — three goals, 10 assists in 11 games — wasn’t talking about the ruling Monday. However, Senators general manager Bryan Murray and coach Dave Cameron did weigh in.

“We’re obviously disappointed with the decision to suspend Mark,” said Murray, who took the train to Montreal with the Senators on Monday afternoon. “He has no history of illegal hits, and we feel he was in pursuit of the puck and fighting for his ice when the contact occurred.

“While discouraging to us, we’re left to accept the league’s ruling.”

In Cameron’s mind, it was a “hockey play”, the result of players trying to find their space in tight quarters.

“It’s the speed of the game and (Detroit’s Luke) Glendening was cutting him off, Glendening was getting in his ice, so he tried to get to Ferraro’s ice,” said Cameron. “It’s like a car, when somebody gets in your lane and blocks you off, you don’t want to run into him, you want to get over in the other guy’s lane. There is certainly no intent, no intent whatsoever.