Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid are set to have phone hearings with the NHL Department of Player Safety (DOPS) after their match penalties in Vancouver’s 3-2 victory on Saturday night. The hearing dates and times are yet to be determined.
McDavid was penalized for cross-checking Canucks forward Conor Garland in the face during the game’s final moments, while Myers received a match penalty for a similar cross-check to Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard away from the ensuing scrum. The chaotic closing seconds of the game saw all 11 skaters on the ice penalized as tensions boiled over.
This was McDavid’s hit on Garland:
And Myers’ hit on Bouchard:
McDavid, 28, has an impressive 65 points (20 goals, 45 assists) in 43 games on the season. He logged 15 penalty minutes on Saturday, surpassing his total penalty minutes for the entire season prior to the game. This would be his second career suspension, following a two-game ban in 2019 for a headshot on Islanders defenceman Nick Leddy.
Myers, 34, has tallied 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 45 games this season and collected 17 penalty minutes in Saturday’s game. He has faced suspensions twice in his career, both three-game bans in 2012 and 2014 for dangerous hits.
The Oilers currently sit tied for first in the Pacific Division with a 29-14-3 record, while the Canucks, at 20-15-10, are battling for a playoff spot, trailing Calgary by one point for the final Western Conference Wild Card.
It’s difficult to predict how long McDavid or Myers might be sidelined following their impending hearings. Both players committed comparable infractions late in a game that was already decided. With that said, nine other players were also penalized in the post-game altercation which may mean the league takes a more lenient approach toward these two as part of a broader incident.
On the other hand, this could also serve as an opportunity for the NHL Player Safety Department to set a strong precedent on stick infractions and headshots by imposing significant penalties on a marquee player like McDavid.
The final matchup in the season series between the Oilers and Canucks is set for Thursday in Vancouver. Both teams will await the DPOS ruling, which could impact their lineups in this crucial clash.