No one can accuse the NHL of protecting their stars. The @EdmontonOilers Connor McDavid currently sits 197th in penalties drawn/per 60 at 0.89 (min. 10 GP)
OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA
‘The NHL wants their stars to play through the crap’: Social media reacts to Connor McDavid and Tyler Myers’ suspensions
Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Jan 20, 2025, 22:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 20, 2025, 20:52 EST
The Department of Player Safety announced on Monday evening that Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers each received three-game suspensions for cross-checks.
Both of those occurred in the dying seconds of Saturday’s game between the two teams with different causes for each. McDavid took exception to Conor Garland knocking him off the puck and pinning him to the ice, which the captain opted to deliver a forceful cross-check when he got back up. In Myers’ case, he got into an altercation with Evan Bouchard which started with the former delivering a hit on the latter and then both got into a shoving match before Myers gave the cross-check.
McDavid and Myers each received match penalties on the play, and the DoPS noted in their ruling that both delivered dangerous cross-checks with the intent to hurt their opponent. As a result, neither will be available for the Oilers and Canucks rematch on Thursday which is bound to have plenty of fireworks given how things concluded on Saturday.
Suffice it to say that Twitter/X was ablaze when the suspensions were handed out. Here are some of the highlights:
The NFL gets it. The NHL doesn't it. The NFL protects their stars (the QB's) The NHL wants their stars to play through the "crap". All the while benifitting from record Revenues driven by... you guessed it... Their stars!
@NHLPlayerSafety
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid has been suspended for three games for cross-checking Vancouver’s Conor Garland. nhl.com/video/topic/pl…
Bob Stauffer didn't hold back on 880 CHED. Quote Credit: @OilerAlert
Bob Stauffer was perhaps the most vocal about the suspension of anyone in Oilers’ media as he took exception to the NHL’s supposed lack of willingness to protect their stars. He backed it up with a stat that shows McDavid is way down the list of players who can draw penalties. The thinking is that McDavid should be able to draw more given his speed and elusiveness make it easy for opponents to try and hook or slash to slow him down.
Whether or not you agree with his view on the NHL’s lack of protecting their stars, that stat is quite shocking nonetheless.
I thought McDavid would get two games. Three isn’t crazy because the cross check was pretty dumb but I don’t mind him defending himself at all. That said, none of this happens if the refs do their job. They lost control of the game and now two guys get suspended. 🤷♂️
Two things can be correct: 1. It's an absolute embarrassment NHL refs would allow McDavid to be tackled/bear-hugged in the last minute of a 1-goal game (Garland didn't get a holding penalty). 2. Hitting an opponent in the head with your stick should be suspended every time.
I understand three-games if they factored in his first suspension, making him a repeat offender. However, Carson Soucy got a one-game suspension in last year's playoffs for cross-checking McDavid in the face 🤔
@NHLPlayerSafety
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid has been suspended for three games for cross-checking Vancouver’s Conor Garland. nhl.com/video/topic/pl…
Edmonton fans/media trying to say the Myers/McDavid cross-checks deserved different suspensions is laughable. You can't cross-check a guy in the face. You don't get a discount because someone was holding you beforehand.
All three things can be true: Garland should have been penalized for holding on the play, McDavid’s cross-check is a suspendable act no matter which way you slice it, and both teams have reasons to be upset after the altercation.
My only take on the McDavid/Myers suspension is that they should both be allowed to play in the Oilers-Canucks rematch on Thursday. Chaos > law & order
That is 100% not going to happen, but it will sure be fascinating the next time McDavid and Myers square off against each other.
Three games for McDavid, three games for Myers, sure, whatever Now let's protect the NHL's players with at least half the care the NFL gives, say, Mahomes.
@NHLPlayerSafety
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid has been suspended for three games for cross-checking Vancouver’s Conor Garland. nhl.com/video/topic/pl…
You can understand the sentiment, similar to what Stauffer was talking about, but that’s a topic for another day.
McDavid and Myers should get matching tattoos
I would pay to see what they would come up with.
The NHL got it right by giving Myers & McDavid the same amount of games.
Safe to say that this is a fair assessment of the plays in isolation. Both were cross-checks that targeted the opponent’s head, were delivered forcefully and were avoidable. It easily could have been more harsh but three games for both McDavid and Myers is about right.
Checks in on Edmonton/Vancouver relations after the McDavid and Myers suspensions came down:
There’s never a dull moment on Twitter/X!
The rematch between the two teams is set for Thursday in Edmonton, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. MST.
Recent articles from Michael Mazzei
Breaking News
- 31 Oilers Questions: Can Colton Dach have a breakout season?
- Oilers goalie prospect Samuel Jonsson expected to return to North America
- The wrong Oiler won the 1990 Conn Smythe: Why Esa Tikkanen was robbed
- Why the Oilers should let young players battle for roster spots
- Monday Mailbag: Will Mike Babcock actually fix the Oilers’ team defence?
Edmonton OilersTeam Cap Summary
Cap Summary
2026-27
2027-28
Projected Cap Hit
$99,274,166
$87,350,000
Projected Cap Space
$4,725,834
$26,150,000
Current Cap Space
$4,725,834
$26,150,000
Active Players
23/23
15/23
Draft Picks
Round
'26
'27
1
0
0
2
1
1
3
1
0