Yes, it's true that Zac Rinaldo has been suspended five times by the NHL.
However, the last time was in January of 2018. Since then, he's clean. Although there is a track record there, it appears that Rinaldo has moved on from those big (and often illegal) hits.
“Listen, that style of play...it’ll never leave me," Rinaldo told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. "It’s deep inside of me. When there’s no energy there, I always find a way to find it. But my intent on the ice is pretty clear. I don’t want to get suspended or hit somebody in a vulnerable position. The game is really fast now, and it’s hard to do certain things at the speed of the game."
The signing of Rinaldo comes at no financial risk to the Blue Jackets. He'll make $750,000 at the NHL level or $275,000 at the AHL level, depending on where he's playing. $300,000 is guaranteed.
So, it's not like they're breaking the bank to sign him. Rinaldo will be a valuable leader with AHL Cleveland, where prized Russian prospect Yegor Chinakhov is likely to begin his North American career this fall. If injuries pile up in Columbus, Rinaldo will be able to provide fourth-line minutes for head coach Brad Larsen.
Although he has cooled off in terms of illegal hits, his discipline still remains an issue. Over the course of his career, he's averaged 2.03 penalty minutes per game. That number has dropped recently, but since the 2018-19 season, he's still averaging 1.28 PIM per game. That's a tough number to swallow for a player that only plays 10-12 minutes per game. It's true that not every penalty is the same, and not every penalty may be called correctly, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on.
All in all, the signing of Rinaldo looks like a no-brainer for the Blue Jackets if Rinaldo maintains his current course of no hits requiring discipline. Since his last suspension occurred over 18 months ago, Rinaldo would not be considered a repeat offender if he were to have another hearing.
"The way the league is going, I have to be very cautious in how I go through people now. It’s not just running around like a chicken with its head cut off," Rinaldo told Portzline. "There’s a system to be played, a position to be played, and I have to be able to make a difference within that.”
