CHICAGO -- Former NHL player and current Phoenix Coyotes broadcaster Tyson Nash says he's received death threats after saying a questionable hit by Coyotes forward Raffi Torres on Chicago Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa was "as clean of a hit as you're going to get."
Although no penalty was called on the play, which took place at 11:51 in the first period of Tuesday's Game 3 in their opening-playoff series, Torres is facing an NHL hearing for the hit, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The hearing is expected to be held within the next 24 hours, and the NHL wants it to be done in person, according to the source. When a hearing is done in person, the penalty could be longer than five games. Torres could waive the in-person requirement and leave himself open to a longer penalty after a conference call.
Hossa was immobilized and taken off the ice on a stretcher. He was released from the hospital Tuesday night.
"You have to love the Twitter world," Nash told "The Waddle and Silvy Show" Wednesday morning on ESPN 1000. "I had a few people mentioning they'll be meeting me for breakfast, so we'll see how that goes."
The Coyotes won 3-2 in overtime, and lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Thursday night in Chicago.
Nash said he told Coyotes personnel about the threats.
"I mentioned it to our guy," Nash said. "It's fine, it's fine. It is what it is."
Nash said that as the fourth broadcast entity for Game 3 Tuesday at United Center, he didn't get a chance to see a good replay until Blackhawks announcer Eddie Olczyk brought him into the home television booth and showed him. Olczyk confirmed the exchange.
"I wish I didn't say what I said," Nash said. "You have to pick more of a middle ground. When you see Hossa lying there longer and longer, you say, 'Oh jeez, let's really take a closer look at this.' I thought he was going to get right back up. Obviously that wasn't the case."
Originally, Nash said he didn't "have a problem with this (the hit)," but admitted Torres' feet left the ice and his left shoulder hit Hossa's jaw.