"Stupid, dangerous, reckless": NHL analyst delivers blunt opinion on Niko Mikkola's last-second clapper against Canandies

NHL analyst Martin Biron didn't mince words when discussing defenceman Niko Mikkola's reckless puck toss at the conclusion of the Florida Panthers' 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

With the final buzzer about to sound, Mikkola fired a slap shot toward the Canadiens' net even though Montreal players had already begun celebrating their victory.

The dangerous play triggered an on-ice skirmish between the teams before officials intervened. The NHL Department of Player Safety responded by fining Mikkola the maximum allowable amount of $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

On Domino's That's Hockey show, analyst Biron condemned Mikkola's actions as foolish and dangerously thoughtless.

"You can pick any words. You can say 'stupid,' you can say 'dangerous,' you can say 'reckless' and all of that," Biron said. " I get it. But it's not basketball. Like, there's not a three-point line. And, you know, when the puck is — has to be in before the buzzer.

“By the time Mikkola had shot the puck, he knew that that was not going to beat the buzzer, and you weren't going to get two goals out of that. So he was just plain old stupid.”

Biron compared the incident to similar situations at the end of games. He recalled defenceman Lyle Odelein taking a shot at the Sabres bench years ago while playing for Montreal to send a message. However, he believes Mikkola wasn’t trying to send a message but was simply frustrated.

The Panthers have lost five of their last 10 games to drop to third in the Atlantic Division.

"I think he was just trying to do something that he did not think about," Biron said. "That's why he got the F today."

The Canadiens and the Panthers meet again Tuesday night in Montreal, where Niko Mikkola could face more backlash for his reckless actions.

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Analyst Bryan Hayes on what Niko Mikkola should expect in the next game against the Canadiens

On TSN's Overdrive, analyst Bryan Hayes said that Niko Mikkola should be prepared for retaliation when the Panthers face the Canadiens again on Tuesday night in Montreal.

"They play at Bell Centre tomorrow night, I think you have to step up and fight tomorrow night," Hayes said.

"You get pulled to the bench and then start yapping when you're on the bench, it's mandatory. ... Mikkola has to be prepared, and if he doesn't, he's in for one tomorrow night."

At 34-30-9, Montreal holds the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, with 77 points.