After Wednesday’s nationally televised game between the Los Angeles Kings and Florida Panthers, the cast of NHL on TNT discussed Edmonton Oilers Captain Connor McDavid and the three-game suspension he was handed on January 20, 2025.
“Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid has been suspended for three games, without pay, for cross-checking Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland during NHL Game No. 735 in Vancouver on Saturday, Jan. 18, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 19:55 of the third period. McDavid was assessed a match penalty. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, McDavid will forfeit $195,312.51. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.” – NHL Public Relations, January 20, 2025
Both Anson “Ace” Carter and Henrik Lundqvist felt the suspension was warranted, while Paul “Biz” Bissonnette defended McDavid saying the suspension was too long. To Biz’s point, McDavid was cross-checked in the face by Carson Soucy during the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, who only received a one-game suspension.
In the NHL’s “Wheel of Justice” @NHLPlayerSafety suspended Carson Soucy for 1 game after Nikita Zadorov X Checked Connor McDavid from behind…and Soucy X-Checked McDavid in the face!
Consistently Inconsistent! https://t.co/Qa1seLJM16— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) January 21, 2025
Biz noted that the Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks will face one another again (January 23, 2025), and that McDavid and Tyler Myers (also issued a three-game suspension for a cross-check in that same game) should play and let the game police itself.
During the game against Los Angeles and Edmonton on January 13, 2025, Kings Forward Adrian Kempe gave McDavid a slew foot and was fined $5,000 — the maximum allowable fine under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Kempe was regarded as a, “violent player,” by David Staples who claimed it to be, “[o]ne of the most vicious slew foots [he’s] seen in years.” He must’ve missed the Nashville Predators at Minnesota Wild game just two weeks prior.
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In the game that followed, Edmonton headed to Minnesota where McDavid elbowed Wild Forward Marcus Johansson in the jaw.
The elbow to Johansson wasn’t so hard that he needed to fling his head back like he just got knocked out by Muhammad Ali. In fact, I think the game has gotten out of control with the overembellishing. But, I do think it played a contributing factor in the league’s decision to suspend McDavid.
McDavid has previously served a six-game suspension for boarding Kings Defenseman Mikey Anderson on March 30, 2023.
I’d argue that McDavid’s cross-check to Garland was more vicious than the boarding of Anderson, but, hey, I’m objective!
McDavid’s not afraid to lay it in against LA, issuing a check along the boards to Kings Forward Alex Laferriere on January 13, 2025. This likely set the wheels in motion for what would eventually result in McDavid’s suspension.
Since that time, Laferriere has been out with an injury and his status for returning is unclear.
If there’s one thing I know about the Hockey Gods it’s this: they reward you when you respect the game, they don’t when you cheat the game.
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