The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid has been suspended for two games. This is his first career suspension.
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid has been suspended for two games for an Illegal Check to the Head on NY Islanders’ Nick Leddy. https://t.co/PYB9MKHKCu
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) February 22, 2019
Connor McDavid Suspended
Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid has been suspended for two games. The Oilers captain made contact to the head of New York Islanders defenceman Nick Leddy. McDavid was backchecking through centre as Leddy was moving the puck before chipping it into the Oilers zone. As Leddy released the puck, McDavid skated in front of the defenceman and clipped Leddy’s head with his shoulder.
Edmonton went onto beat New York, 4-3, in overtime. McDavid netted the game-winning goal for the Oilers. He had missed the previous game with the flu.
The league based the suspension of the point of contact and that a head shot could have been avoidable.
McDavid has 32 goals and 53 assists for 85 points in 58 games this season. He also added 18 penalty minutes. His possession numbers are 51.0 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 3.9.
The Richmond Hill, Ontario native has only played for Edmonton in his four-year NHL career. He has put up 119 goals and 222 assists for 341 career points in 267 career games. Edmonton drafted him with the first overall pick of the 2015 NHL draft.
He will miss games against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday and the Nashville Predators on Monday. McDavid will be eligible to return when Edmonton takes on his hometown club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, on Wednesday.
What This Means for the Future
It’s been a season to forget for the Oilers, but McDavid continues to put up big numbers of over a point a game. McDavid has played like the franchise player that he is.
Edmonton is currently sits six points in back of the Minnesota Wild for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference going into Friday’s games. Losing McDavid will not help the Oilers’ cause.
ANAHEIM, CA – JANUARY 25: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on January 25, 2017 in Anaheim, California. The Oilers shutout the Ducks 4-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
