Will Ryan Callahan Be Suspended For Hit On Frans Nielsen? (UPDATE)

In Friday nights contest between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, Rangers always-hard-working forward, Ryan Callahan, rocked Islanders forward, Frans Nielson, with a hit.

Callahan was forced to fight Islander forward Jesse Joensuu, who had decided to stick up for his "hurt" teammate. The fight was even, with the only two punches being thrown by Ryan Callahan.

You can watch the video by clicking here

Without a doubt Callahan clipped Nielsen in the head with an elbow. In no way was the hit intentional, and Callahan did not mean for his hit to do any damage to Neilsen (which it did not, he was fine), but the elbow did clip Nielsen in the face.

Is the hit suspend able? Yes, there is clear evidence of a hit to face, while non-intentional it is still deemed an illegal play in the NHL.

Will Callahan be suspended for the hit? If it were me making the decisions I would probably say no, he should not be suspended. He is not known for play like this, and his track-record is clean as a whistle.

Honestly, if Sidney Crosby was not suspended for his infractions a week ago, and Daniel Carcillo was not suspended for his to the head of Ruslan Fedotenko a month ago (here), and, on a recent scale, Curtis Glencross was not suspended for his cross-check to the face of Keith Ballard (here), why should Ryan Callahan be treated any different?

Again, it was clear that the elbow of Callahan may have clipped Nielsen in the chin; but I do not believe any suspension will be given to Ryan Callahan.

UPDATE:
Ryan Callahan will not be suspended, according to multiple sources.