Following a “unnecessary” hit on Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson, Connor McDavid received a six-game suspension.
The Department of Player Safety in the NHL has thrown Connor McDavid under the bus.
McDavid’s six-game suspension was issued by the DoPS on Twitter early on Saturday morning for boarding Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson.
The hit happened in the opening frame of Thursday night’s Oilers vs. Kings game in Edmonton. As the two players pursued the puck, McDavid shoved Anderson into the boards and Kings goaltender Joonas Korpisalo passed the puck into the corner in Los Angeles’ zone.
For interfering, McDavid received a two-minute minor, and Anderson departed the game without coming back.
The NHL’s chief of player safety, George Parros, stated that the organisation needed to lead by example with McDavid in this circumstance.
Parros stated, “It’s important that we set an example. This hit was a little bit too much.” If that is the kind of game he intends to play, we would prefer not to have him on the ice at this time. He’s throwing big hits and already leads the team in points by about fifty? Come on. That is not required.
The Oilers defeated the Kings 2-0 on Thursday, moving up to the top of the standings in the process. It will be difficult for the Oilers to compete for the top record without McDavid for the remainder of the regular season.
