Philadelphia Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo has been suspended eight games by the NHL Department of Player Safety for charging and boarding Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang last week.

The news comes after the league conducted a Monday telephone hearing with Rinaldo. The player had declined an in-person hearing over the incident.

Rinaldo hit Letang into the boards from behind late in the first period last Tuesday and was given a five-minute major as well as a game misconduct.

Letang remained on the ice for a few minutes before eventually getting up under his own power and skating to the locker room. He did not return to the game.

The 24-year-old Rinaldo has been suspended before as he was slapped with a four-game penalty last season for an illegal hit to the head of Buffalo Sabres defenceman Chad Ruhwedel.

Rinaldo spoke about the incident with Letang after Tuesday's game.

"I changed the whole game, man," he said. "Who knows what the game would have been like if I didn't do what I did?"

The Flyers won the contest 3-2.