Wasn't as intentional as a lot you are suggesting. The first replay shows exactly what happened. They were both chasing a loose puck and
both reached for it. That's very key because it proves
John Erskine's first inititive on the play was to play the puck.
Simmonds got to the puck first, chipped it passed Erskine along the boards, and was about to take off. It was then that Erskine reacted with the elbow out of desperation. This was an attempt to stop Simmonds from getting by him, not an attempt to go out of his way to elbow a guy in the head. We've seen both, this wasn't the latter
This is an elbowing penalty, not a suspension. More proof (do we need more?) that this game has gone soft.