Connor McDavid Pays a Price for Standing up for Himself – The Hockey Writers Edmonton Oilers Latest News, Analysis & More

What would you do if you were Connor McDavid? Would you let other teams manhandle you – McDavid could easily draw two to three penalties a game – or would you stand up for yourself like he did last week? Or maybe, the NHL could protect their star players like the NFL does with Patrick Mahomes and the NBA does with Lebron James.

There has to be a solution to stop the irrational decisions handed out by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. McDavid was suspended three games on Jan. 20 for a cross-check to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland. Considering the circumstances, it should have only been two games.

Related: Connor McDavid Receives 3-Game Suspension for Cross-Check

After the Canucks 3-2 victory over the Oilers on Saturday, Garland admitted that he intentionally broke the rules by holding McDavid down in the final seconds of the game: “You know, I’m just holding him. I mean, he’s the best player to ever do it. So, you know, the time’s running out, and I just thought that was maybe the best way for us to win a game was to do that.”

McDavid snapped and cross-checked Garland in the head, which is a flagrant violation of the rules. It was too far and led to a three-game suspension, which means McDavid will miss home games against the Washington Capitals on Jan. 21, the Canucks rematch on Jan. 23 and the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 25. Meanwhile, Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers was also suspended for three games for cross-checking Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard in a hit more violent than McDavid’s.

3-Game Break For McDavid

You won’t get much sympathy from me if you want to take fighting and roughing out of the game. I’m a child of the 1970s who grew up cheering for Bernie Parent, Bobby Clarke and the Philadelphia Flyers, also known as the Broadstreet Bullies. I love the movie Slap Shot, directed by George Roy Hill, and I admire Gordie Howe, who used to protect himself with his elbows and fists. I’m also a fan of Bobby Orr, who had to prove himself early in his career by playing tough, and as soon as the rest of the league realized Orr could fight, they left him alone.

Maybe this incident involving McDavid will give him more room, more leeway and autonomy to play his game. Becuase, right now, the best player in the world is consistently held, slashed, cross-checked by Carson Soucy and even rammed into goalposts by Mark Giordano. I’m glad McDavid stood up for himself, but I wish he had done it another way.

Cross-checking Garland crossed the line, but it also might have sent a message to the rest of the league to give him some room. McDavid will forfeit $195,312.51 US for the cross-check, but it might be money well spent to get a rare three-game break in the middle of the season. Maybe it will give him the rest he needs heading into the 4-Nations Face-Off next month, and then the run to the playoffs. That might be the silver lining.

McDavid Ranks Second in Penalties Drawn Since 2016-17 NHL Season

Sportsnet’s Mark Spector wrote an interesting piece about McDavid’s suspension, noting that McDavid ranks second behind Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk in drawing penalties in the NHL. The number would be higher for McDavid if so many referees didn’t put their whistles away so often. But there’s the unwritten rule that you can’t look like you’re showing favouritism to one team over another. That’s why so many infractions against McDavid don’t get called. But doesn’t that go against the rules of the game?

McDavid’s Suspension Could’ve Been Reduced to 2 Games

In a fair and just world, McDavid would have received a two-game suspension. But I have a feeling he isn’t too worried about it. It’s not like the Oilers aren’t without their MVP this season, Leon Draisaitl, and the team has had to live without McDavid for stretches before due to injury and a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenceman Nick Leddy in February 2019.

Related: Oilers’ Draisaitl Can Show He’s the MVP While McDavid Is Suspended

This suspension might have earned McDavid a bit of respect in a way that former Oilers superstar Mark Messier earned it, by playing tough. Hockey is a rough game from bantam to junior. You either have the stomach for it or you don’t. We’ll see what McDavid does to protect himself in the future, and what the NHL will do, as well. If the league continues to adjust the rules to take hitting and toughness out of the game, you’ve got field hockey on ice, and who wants that?