Officials to Blame for Suspensions Coming to McDavid and Myers

The NHL has a mess on its hands on Monday with the hearings for Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers.

Both Myers and McDavid have hearings with the Department of Player Safety regarding incidents that occurred Saturday night late in the game involving the Canucks and Oilers. McDavid cross-checked Canucks forward Conor Garland in the head, while Myers had a similar cross-checking incident on Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid will have a hearing for cross-checking Vancouver’s Conor Garland. Date and time TBD.

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 19, 2025

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Those incidents occurred within minutes of each other. Each player will undoubtedly face suspension, as the NHL has zero tolerance for cross-checking another player in the head and neck area. However, the NHL needs to look at the picture as a whole, especially what led up to the cross-checking incidents.

Connor McDavid was issued a match penalty on this play for cross-checking Conor Garland — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 19, 2025

It was a one-goal game, with the Canucks leading the Oilers 3-2 as time was winding down in the third period. However, Canucks forward Connor Garland commits three infractions on McDavid in front of the Canucks net. It started as the two players jocking for a position on the ice. However, Garland interferes and holds McDavid down to the ice, not allowing him to get back into the play.

McDavid had enough and cross-checked Garland. Did he mean to go that high with the cross-check? Probably not. But nobody blames McDavid for going back at Garland, as the referees let it get to this point.

The NHL Needs To Step In To Ensure Repeated Mistakes Don’t Happen

This is where the NHL has to step in and punish veteran officials. Taking away playoff games and not working the playoffs is a punishment for poor officiating during the season, but there needs to be more. While we all get it, officiating in the NHL when the game is at high speed is tough. These were inexcusable misses that led to players getting suspended.

Wes McCauley and Chris Lee are two NHL veterans. However, not calling Conor Garland on one of his penalties sparked Connor McDavid’s cross-check. That led to a scrum between the teams, and Bouchard and Myers, who had already been battling, reengaged. Bouchard slashed Myers, and Myers then cross-checked him in the face.

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You know it is bad when commentators on Sportsnet say Garland should have been called for a penalty or two, and the referees allowed this to get out of control. 

We all know that suspensions are coming, and we understand that games are tight, especially towards the end of the game, but there was no excuse for allowing match penalties to occur. While the officials want to let players decide games, sometimes you need to blow the whistle and call a penalty to ensure that what happened Saturday night does not happen again. 

Next: Ex-Oiler Says McDavid Right to Push Back from Being Targeted