It was a very good hockey game. The Edmonton Oilers didn’t lose it so much as run out of time, but credit to the Vancouver Canucks they played a strong, desperate game against a much better opponent and won the day. The last chapter of the game, or the prelude to the next game, involved some violence and NHL Player Safety is going to suspend Connor McDavid and Tyler Myers. Let’s have a look.
These are the names you should remember as spring signing season approaches for NHL teams. There’s even a big, physical winger in here.
These are my opinions on the play, I invite yours in the comments section. I will tell you that not much is going to change, in fact nothing has changed since I was a kid beyond things like society finding a certain level of violence unacceptable. The NHL has had to adapt slightly to the times, but there’s no protection for Connor McDavid, just as there was none for Sidney Crosby, or Mario Lemieux, or Bobby Orr.
Wayne Gretzky had Dave Semenko on his line often enough to represent a nuclear deterrent, but the NHL isn’t a league that allows this anymore.
Targeting team’s best players? Oh hell, all day.
You could hear it in the voices of the folks who were on-air last night, much of the blame placed on McDavid for his actions (and Tyler Myers, too) but not too terribly much about the shenanigans committed by Conor Garland. In NHL world, the Garland play was effective hockey against a great player, and the fact no official blew the whistle is in keeping with the spirit of the NHL.
You can argue that it was a filthy bit of business, but that and $1.50 will get you a pretty good cup of coffee at the drive-thru. If you’re looking for the hockey equivalent of an $8 cup of coffee at the drive-thru? Doesn’t exist.
The NHL appeals to us on several levels, and one of them aligns perfectly with wrestling. Beautiful plays and championships appeal to most everyone, but there’s a basic human bloodlust that the NHL satisfies for a large part of the fan base. Maybe you don’t have that gear, but a significant portion of your fellow NHL fans want to be outraged, want that anger flowing through their veins. It’s like drinking rye. It angries up the blood, I know it does. I have four bottles of it in my house. I also have wine. Can you guess which bottle has dust on it?
Some might feel McDavid’s frustration and feel a need to lash out at the organization. What the hell? Why can’t they find an enforcer? Well, they are trying to win hockey games and protectors are most often not good at hockey.
There’s also an inconvenient truth about all violence. If someone is determined to do you harm, there’s not much really that anyone can do about it. You can buy a weapon but that doesn’t mean you’re going to win a shootout, and you can call the police but they may not get there in time. Do you remember who was on the ice when Marc Savard took the head hit from Matt Cooke? I do.
So, what’s the answer? Kris Knoblauch has his Oilers playing grand hockey, and a team like Vancouver has to fight tooth and nail to win a game like last night. Edmonton was at the end of a long road trip, and a highly successful one. The die was cast, I said in yesterday’s post “it’s possible the club is running in to a hornet’s nest tonight” and it happened just this way.
What can we say for certain today? McDavid and Myers will get suspended. More important, the idea that you can run over the Oilers and beat them with intimidation is fading, ever so slowly, into the past. The Oilers play a rugged style, led by McDavid and Draisaitl, and that’s a wrinkle that should produce results in the postseason.
What can we not say for certain? We don’t know how Daryl Katz, Jeff Jackson and Stan Bowman will react to last night. You should hope the organization allows Kris Knoblauch to stay the course. The NHL has rarely seen a player protected, and the single individual (Gretzky) who identifiably was protected also eluded some big hits with his speed and guile.
Finally, and you’re not going to like this, Edmonton Oilers fans are going to have to acknowledge the great 1980’s team was at times pure filth, and that this team, even the superstars, have been willing to do the stick work for a long time now.
This is the NHL. Same as it ever was.
New for The Athletic: Setting up the Edmonton Oilers’ 2025 spring amateur signing season
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6071667/2025/01/19/edmonton-oilers-2025-amateur-signings/
So I really felt furious about Garlands tactics, until he explained them. It nuetralize a good player. In fact the only way it gets blown for a penalty is if vancouver gets the puck (and the penalty is actually called). With ten seconds left, if you dont have the puck, its a very frustrating but bomber play. I doubt we ever see it again.
But if we do, perhaps we need to employ the tactic ourselves.
I am onboard with this idea:
https://youtu.be/b2q3kIKE_xU?si=QsFwQmG3_ctqfe4r
Thx for sharing. It was good to see the up-close; Agreed 100% that it makes a mockery of the game and a rule change is needed.
Good stream for watching NFL anyone?
McDavid’s hearing is Monday afternoon.
Over the phone…
Oh, yes – I don’t think anyone anticipated an in-person hearing would be offered to retain the ability to suspend for more than 5 games.
I’m guessing they each get 2 games
Just want to note here that some are worried about Savoie’s utility since Macleod is an everyday player.
He is 3rd in rookie scoring to a 24 year old and a 22 year old. His comparables would be Nazar and Dvorsky who is a bit younger.
Nazar and Beck were brought up cause their teams are awful to poor.
10 years ago he’d be brought up to provide hope.
Glad the org has the depth to keep him there till he dominates and leaves no doubt when he does join the big club.
In addition, Savoie’s recent box-cars under-represent his offensive impact over the last week or so.
This afternoon’s game is a perfect example, a game where Savoie got zero points but he was consistently dangerous and creating scoring chances.
What was notable today is a number of shifts in the 2nd period where he created by carrying the puck through the neutral zone and in to the offensive zone and, in one case, created a 2 on 1 and, on the other, was able to take the puck right to the net.
From my viewings, generally, he likes to make quick plays with the puck and doesn’t have it on his stick for that long – I know he’s been working on “hanging on to the puck longer” and, well, it shows.
I remain optimistic about the player and we’ll have to wait and see, but given McLeod’s strong season (and Henrique’s struggles), it’s difficult not to miss his presence in the lineup.
Ditto for Holloway given his breakout year, but I’ve been feeling the same way about him and Broberg since that horrible day in August …
Players recently saw that one can slew-foot one of the best players to play the game with impunity
connor may need to take another suspension before the end of the season
The last minute of that game was pure roller derby. What an embarrassment for a so-called professional sport. The NHL is a joke but we’ve grown up with this nonsense and normalize it. I always laugh when some people say sport betting will clean up the game. Yeah and the mafia will make your neighborhood safe 🙂 We all love hockey but objective reality suggests it’s closer to WWF than a serious sport. Is what it is.
So the players are not accountable for their actions at all? Every over the top penalty is the league’s fault.
I’m struggling to understand how Tyler Myer’s crosscheck is on Gary Bettman.
They aren’t accountable for about 95% of the infractions against McDavid which results in what happened yesterday. That’s the problem. It’s pretty clear.
Is it? Or is just whining about the officiating against the home team.
Is it at all possible that the refs miss calls against every team?
Classic hockey homerism. McDavid cross checks a guy in the head and the home town fans the next day are all raging about how Connor is the victim.
The NHL created an environment where players, regardless of the team they play on, are confused as to what counts as a penalty or not as it changes on a nightly basis, so they feel they have to reciprocate and defend themselves. Obviously, this leads to things getting out of hand.
Bettman’s NHL is the embodiment of bad parenting. They watch the kids fight all of the time and chalk it up to “boys will be boys” without providing any input or guidance. And when things get really out of hand they hand out a few slaps on the wrist and wag their finger.
The General is also re-framing the issue to something it is not. People aren’t complaining about accidentally missed calls but rather deliberately uncalled penalties because of the clock or scoreboard.
That’s really cool that you can read refs’ minds to know whether they’re missing calls on purpose or accidentally.
First of all, I personally am not making any claim. I think that the incident last night is one of the least interesting things that happened yesterday and that this comment thread is completely effed up. I’m only talking about you misrepresenting the opposite side of the argument.
And considering the replay shows BOTH refs staring directly at the Garland shenanigans, if they missed it accidentally, your argument’s only recourse is a mutual attack of blindness. Ridiculous? Yes, but that’s where today’s thread is now.
As for me, I could care less about empty whining about the refs and Bettman. If people truly cared they’d be emailing he NHL, the Oilers, and Sportsnet, while cancelling tickets and subscriptions. Because blowing hot air here is largely meaningless.
Wes, is that you?
It’s an interesting narrative but it’s complete baloney.
No NHL player is confused about the rules. They’ve been playing hockey their entire lives. They know what the infractions are by the book.
The reality is they’re Uber competitive people that will push the standard as far as they can particularly when the game is on the line. This is what competitive people do. In their mind, if you’re not trying to cheat sometimes, you’re not trying to win.
So the NHL which is in the business of entertainment has a choice. They can either call the game exactly by the book which neuters competitiveness and turns the game into a ticky tack no flow parade to the penalty box OR they can ref the game like a traffic cop.
The traffic cop isn’t naive enough to think he can stop every single driver from speeding. He’s there as a deterrent to catch the most obvious infractions.
Complaining about officiating is as old as sports itself. This despite the fact that they’ve added another ref, an eye in the sky, officiating challenges, etc. Why is that? Because pro players will always cheat to get an edge when they think they can get away with it.
You’re not to going to change this anymore than you can make everyone drive at the speed limit. It’s the height of nanny state hubris to think these are remotely achievable aims.
“No NHL player is confused about the rules. They’ve been playing hockey their entire lives. They know what the infractions are by the book.”
I guarantee McDavid was confused as to why he was being held for so long and no penalty was called, wouldn’t you agree?
It’s a textbook infraction that he has seen called countless times throughout his hockey life, as you say, and it wasn’t against him. Talk about confusing.
So you think McDavid’s reaction was one of trying to cheat because he’s hypercompetitive, and not because he was frustrated over a penalty that wasn’t called and should have been called?
And if refs are supposed to be a deterrent and call obvious infractions, how come they failed in:
1) calling the obvious infraction
2) deterring McDavid from cross checking Garland with their presence?
3) deterring Garland from pinning and holding McDavid with their presence?
You made a statement about the NHL officiating as a whole at a macro level. My reply was to that specific statement. If you have nothing to add on that, concede the point.
In regards to the specifics of the play last night.
McDavid was not confused. Frustrated at the non call, yes. But certainly not surprised that an opponent may try to cheat to win late in a game. He retaliates in anger and I’m ok with it although it is a selfish play with time left on the clock and a win still possible.
The primary issue with your grand conspiracy theory is you’re ascribing motive to the refs that they purposely ignored McDavid being held when you have zero proof of this. Even on the replay you can’t see what Garland is doing under McDavid and it’s only obvious that Connor is being held once he’s getting up and fighting back. This between two players AWAY from the puck.
Why did the refs’fail?’ Because they’re human and they missed the call. It happens. Same thing with Myers and Bouchard away from the main scrum.
You’re demanding perfection in a highly fluid decision environment with multiple variables. And worse, suggesting some grand conspiracy is at play when the reffing fails to meet your perfection standard.
I would actually suggest reffing some youth hockey. You’ll be amazed at everything you can’t see on a regulation sheet of ice without eyes in the back of your head.
Why would I concede my point after watching your comparison fall completely flat and contradict yourself?
Especially since I am not implying some grand conspiracy. I am saying the NHL has created an environment where there are games where no penalties are called, or lots of penalties are called, or games where calls are not being made in the first half but are in the second, or not made in the first half and are called in the second. The calls seem largely arbitrary which causes confusion and frustration for players and fans alike. And yes, I mean players, as there have been post game interviews where players say things like “I don’t know what a penalty is anymore”. To your point, they know very well what penalties are but they don’t get called.
There was a game this season the Oilers played where NO penalties were called. So what’s the explanation for it? Was it because:
1) players weren’t competitive enough and not cheating hard enough?
2) refs missed ALL of the calls because they are human and make mistakes?
3) the players just played an infraction free game because the refs deterred them
Or is any other explanation just “conspiracy”?
Players complain when the refs miss calls against them. Shocker. You ever notice how they never complain when the refs miss the calls on the infractions they do commit?
“Some times there’s games with lots of penalties. Sometimes none. What’s up with that?”
Yes, what is up with that? Could there possibly be a math answer, something involving variance? lol
Delete
Oh so players aren’t a good judge about whether penalties are penalties or not because they can’t be trusted?
“Players know best what penalties are or are not. They have played this game their whole lives”
“These players are confused that the refs seem to be missing a bunch of calls, or calling things arbitrarily”
“Oh like you can trust them anyway!”
“Yes, what is up with that? Could there possibly be a math answer, something involving variance? lol”
I believe when it comes to NHL refs making arbitrary decisions, that would be considered an unsolveable problem in mathematics.
“aww I was looking for a reason to give him a penalty”. Solve for x.
Your entire argument rests on ascribing motive to the refs purposely ignoring calls. You have zero evidence or proof of this occuring.
It’s an interesting theory. Nothing more.
I mean, there is ample video evidence of refs staring at players as penalties happen and they don’t call them. It’s your choice to ignore it, though.
You mentioned reffing youth hockey. Curious – in youth hockey, would you find it acceptable for a ref to say outloud that they were specifically looking to penalize a player or a team?
I’m guessing not. Which is why it’s so interesting for an NHL referee, who should be the best of the best, would say it so casually. It’s almost as if the refs are more interested in managing a game, rather than calling obvious infractions. I can imagine the other refs, in their tight knit group, were so shocked and audibly gasped when they learned the words “make-up call” during the Tim Peel thing.
You realize there were 2 Connors involved and so your comment could be read in 2 different ways. Seeing that you are seemingly attacking Oilers fans as a whole, I would suggest you a) stop generalizing, and b) read the BS Canucks’ fans suggestions that McDavid should get 5 or more games… good grief
“what do I tell Corey”?
If you are Derek Ryan are you hoping to be picked up on waivers, even if it is with a cellar dweller, or would you rather wait out the season in Bako, and hope for some playoff reps?
I really like the player, I’m personally hoping he clears.
You never know bit I suspect he probably wants to clear. He will surely be on the playoff roster, even if he doesn’t play. Very well could be back up and in games this season as well – injuries can pile up at any time.
I think he clears.
Let’s not forget that he’s not league min – perhaps a small factor but a factor.
Yeah, I think at this point in his career he would prefer the best shot at a Cup. Although you never know, a contender could put in a claim. But as you point out $900k/a, which to me says a cellar dweller looking for a vet mentor is the most likely claimant.
In his place I would one hundred percent hope to clear.
My NHL career is basically over, but I still have a chance to contribute to a championship for my home team, among guys I know and with whom I’m still tight, in a town that has to mean something to me after being both a Bear and an Oiler.
Derek Ryan may have played for UofA but he is not from Edmonton. He’s not even Canadian. He is from Spokane
was trying to say current team
Is there anyway to determine if McCauly/Lee might miss a game nod to the teams that refs played a role in the nasty action at the end of the game?
Take off the kool-aid glasses anyone outside Oilerville country is laughing at us.
Dennis Wideman’s available, maybe he signs a deal next time the Oilers draw this crew again
Berglund wins the draw and D’Amato re-directs the point shot for the 4-1 lead late in the 2nd.
Berglund has been putting up some points as of late
He’s developed in to a much more impactful AHL player than I anticipated. When he first arrived I was the opposite of impressed but he’s now a very solid bottom six center and he’s getting more ice with all the injuries/call-ups.
I don’t think I would consider him a “real prospect” as he’s already 25 years old.
I know, he’s six months younger than Philp, who is just making it now but I would suggest, even with the praise above, Berglund isn’t near Philp’s level, in either direction of play.
Savoie wins a neutral zone board battle and power rushes up the ice creating a 2 on 1 that is narrowly missed – a few second later, after the Condors regain posession, Berglund squeaks one by the goalie (it was trickling in behind and Savoie put it in but I think it was past the line).
3-1 Condors.
On the ensuring center ice faceoff, Savoie, again, with a power rush gets in alone from the outside but can’t bury.
Connor and Leon can handle themselves but do you realty want them dropping the gloves in a meaningless game 42 because the other team is playing for their jobs. Coach Kris has to take a step back and look at the big picture you can’t have Leon&Connor skewfooted in back to back games with no team response. We just showed the entire league that it’s open season on Connor-Leon-Bouchard and our goalie.
If I was the oil I’d question Garlands manhood. Did you see him put his legs around McDavid. ?
So the solution is 1900’s schoolyard taunts?
does it differ from his tactics?
If Garland’s available at the deadline, I’d want him on my team … he was very noticeable in both ends of the ice last night. Small guy, but a huge prick. Not afraid to get his nose bent out of shape, and was around the puck all game long.
He’d be great on Connor’s wing.
On the other hand, I barely noticed Pettersson – I kept looking around for #40, and mostly just saw him coasting to the bench. He woke up at one point in the third period and threw one hit, and the Canucks fans around me acted like it was the best thing they’d ever seen him do. It was the one and only time I noticed him the whole game. I hope the Canucks keep him around; he’s butter soft.
Also JT Miller came to play, and the Canucks fans absolutely love him.
I hope they panic trade him to the Eastern conference this week. Him and Hughes are the guys that stir the drink for that team … the Canucks will fall further back into mediocrity without him.
Dineen keeps in the clearing attempt, cross the line to Griffith to Caggiula in the slot and he snaps home the PPG for the 2-0 lead.
Of note, Condors still do not have PPG at home this season.
We are no angels. Last evening’s was a display of a less talented team using game management to their benefit. The game should be reffed not managed. Fans who paid big money to come to see Connor versus Ovie next week are the losers due to refs unwillingness to ref the game. Public display of disgrace by the NHL to let star players get mauled and brutalized. In turn, since these games are managed I hope garland, miller and hughes get a good dose of it back
Also stopping in to say great piece, Bruce, about Ryan. Quality.
Seconded. Excellent article Bruce. The local connection with Philp and KK, as well as the class the org/coach showed in playing him for those milestone games you mentioned are truly unique and special in the game today.
Indeed. Stick tap to Bruce McCurdy for a great story. Derek Ryan made the most of his talents.
Summarizing!
O’Reilly sniped his 18th of the season and added an assist.
Wakely had a helper.
Akey and Nicholl were denied soup.
Prospecting takes a break until Tiw’s Day.
Matt Savoie continues to be aggressive, physical and tenacious in the offensive zone – a fairly hard hit on a bigger d-man behind the offensive net to win a puck.
All I know is that Bowman should be giving the NHL an earful of complaining about the refs in that sequence. It never should have gotten to that point. Their arms should have been up in the air long before McDavid’s crosscheck. To tackle the NHL’s best player in the O-zone and nowhere near the puck when they are down by 1 goal with seconds left in the game is about as blatant a penalty as you can get. Brutal, just brutal.
I will never forget Mario stepping up to the mic, in the heart of the dead puck era, with the blandly venomous observation that it’s the league’s call if they prefer to promote “marginal” players.
Caggiula with a very nice transition pass from the defensive half boards in the neutral zone to…… Ronnie Attard. Attard enters the zone, on a 2 on 2, walk the one d-man, heads in to the slot and snaps one past Tokarski for an early 1-0 lead. Wow.
Savoie was in the battle in the d-zone but not awarded the secondary assist.
Connor Carrick out of the lineup for personal reasons – he’s been very good for the Condors this season.
They are very under-manned but at least Swetlikoff has arrived from Fort Wayne so they won’t have to play short.
I can agree that hockey has always been, and still is an aggressive sport.
And things will not change quickly.
Playoffs promote high competition from highly aggressive players. You must find a way to win. If you are not faster, you are allowed to hit, grab, interfere to slow your opponent down. Oilers loved Gretzky. Everyone else hated Gretzky because they could not stop him. If he’s tripped, held, hurt, taken down there is no problem. Out for a series? That’s the best result.
So what is the industry standard to manage this situation? It is to build your team to look after your top players. This is the norm.
Edmonton is built to win games, not fight. They do have a weakness, it’s the ability to handle this threat. Connor, Leon are not weak. They can respond. But industry standard is the team helps them out. The team takes heat of them so they can focus on goals.
Rugged NHLers don’t fear a fight. So sending a bigger enforcer out for a fight does not scare the agitator. So one big enforcer doesn’t work, plus the refs see him coming and over penalize him.
The big enforcer is in a no win situation. Picked on for his play. Too late to protect his teammate.
The answer is a rugged edge has to be built into the team via several players. The team must have a response. I don’t see anyone running Quinn Hugh’s as he has other 6.5 dmen clearing out net and running the corners. Any agitators are kept busy.
Are top players intimidated? Not generally but yes at times. Rather not go in front of the net to take a beating when no help is coming. Players play bigger when they know they have toughness, it’s just a thing.
Balance was always a big Lowtide key word. Team needs some functional toughness. Can they win without it? Maybe, but a lot of luck involved. Each year the opposition has injured the top players. In my opinion this is the reason Oilers lost.
So far this season, nobody can beat the Oilers unless they injured their top players. So you absolutely know what the plan will be.
What will Oilers do about it?
Good post!
I was going to post this. The Duo are better served being mean themselves, but if anyone goes at especially Connor (Leon is big so..) there should be a calculated response. Not egregious or stupid, but more if you start it keep Petey and Quinn on the bench. And Demko in his hotel spa suite
It doesn’t stop it, but it is a thing for the Bad Guys to consider. And it evens the war of attrition, hopefully. It’s less enticing to start a war when you know that you are actually starting one. Especially these days where there are less willing combatants
I have seen you post similar in the past few weeks. Not as a criticism of the overall team, just looking ahead to potential problems.
I was happy to get this out today, I appreciate the forum to be heard.
Utterly amazing to see McDavid grappled with less than a minute remaining. The refs clearly refuse to call the game properly. I’m no bleeding heart usually either.
Stupid NHL. More interested in selling its latest gambling angle than anything else.
Already the temperature of the gambling advertising has risen substantially, as greed enters the picture and the sucker…well they need to be informed of all the myriad ways they can lose their money.
Agree as always with LT’s take. A penalty on Garland for the grappling is clearly appropriate but the ref’s missed/declined to enforce a clear penalty, and it’s not unexpected, because NHL.
I’m not upset with McD’s reaction (good for him for not taking it and taking matters into his own hands). Myers’s crosscheck seems more unprovoked but both will probably get the same suspension, because NHL.
Not a defect in the Oilers roster, although having Kane back would bring some skilled grit back into the lineup which would certainly be welcome.
Interesting discussion of the difference between the NHL and the NFL. The NHL rule book is in fact, way too simple. There are essentially three types of penalties for “fouls”:
The NFL has dozens if not hundreds of penalties are carefully cultivated to find the exact right amount of disincentive so players don’t make that foul; or at least aren’t perversely incented to.
Consider for a moment the false start penalty. The NHL would find a tiny flinch by the offensive lineman to be “ticky tack” and you’d never see it called but the big brains in the NFL understand that if the O line can get a head start it throws the entire game out of balance. Linemen would get more penetration. Run plays would be 5 yards on average instead of 3-4 and then no one would ever pass the ball.
The NHL needs way, way more levels of infraction.
A quick hook in the hands in the neutral zone perhaps should be treated like a foul in soccer. Two minutes is “too much” so therefore it’s never called and when it is people get angry.
DNB says he was told that Ryan was told this was a possibility when he signed his 2-year deal last off-season.
I said a couple days ago the Oilers should target Trent Frederic because this is going to happen in the playoffs with both L.A and the Canucks.
A type of player like that who can play up and down the line up.
as far as the referees go.
I’ve enjoyed reading the WWE references out there, it’s like the referee missing the tag, missing the cheap shot while getting knocked out was one of better ones I read.
I like Frederic – big boy who’s not afraid to get his nose dirty and can actually play a regular shift. If he’s available, I’d want him too.
I thought the game was severely hampered if not lost with the lineup decision to put Brown in over a fresh skater like Kapanen or Skinner. The Oilers needed to play to their strengths and hem the Canucks in their own end like they had done to the Avs and the Wild in the previous two comebacks.
On the other hand, it might have been injury insurance. I wonder if Ekholm or Nurse or Stetcher might be nursing something and Brown was in the lineup to take a few of those minutes off those guys.
In the end, it might not have mattered either way. It’s been a long stretch of games and of travel and the tank might have been too empty to turn on the jets to propel us to the win. I’m just thankful we won as many as we did in the past 2 weeks
Ryan waived, J Brown down to Bako.
Both the right moves, accrue more cap to add in Klingon.
Knock knock young(ish) Philp.
See you soon as a Black Ace Mr. Ryan, will leave the light on for you.
CapWages has them with a 23 man roster, and $3,520,833 in cap space.
Interesting. Wonder if that accounts for Klingberg and these 2 moves, and if that is projected cap for the deadline? As in accrual allows for that equivalent amt to be added at that time as opposed to current space.
Absolutely as expected. They want to get down under the cap (and out of LTIR) when they activate Klingberg and, while his cap hit is $1.73MM, as with any contract acquired/added in-season, if not operating in LTIR, only “what’s left on the AAV for the season” needs to fit in to their projected cap hit.
Presuming they effect the above, they they will have the full amount of the Kane LTIR to use.
As anticipated, they are using their normal course accrued cap space to fit Klingberg in, leaving the LTIR space for other adds.
Hockey is a great sport, but the NHL is the bushiest bush league to ever bush. I honestly thought sports betting would change the officiating. Only a fool would place a bet on an NHL game. Justice for Connor.
I respectfully disagree with the premise that the refs failed because they didn’t protect McDavid. At no point in time did Garland do anything to threaten McDavid’s safety. The problem was that they “let them play” because there was 1 minute left in the game.
The rules don’t change because there is 1 minute left. They also don’t change when Vancouver is on the PP with a 2-0 lead and calling the penalty would have negated a goal. They sure as shit didn’t change when Ekholm was called for cross checking at the 5 minute mark. That was the problem last night. McDavid lost his cool because for the last 5 minutes he was repeatedly interpreted with, and for 15 seconds straight was in wrestling holds. Even Garland admitted as much.
If I was McDavid, I’d seriously consider calling up Gary and telling him I’m sitting out his pet project tournament until Wes and co. are held accountable. That’s how irate he should be this morning.
Thankfully Connor would never do this because he’s not an entitled baby.
And Bettman wouldn’t care either; playing international best-on-best means way more to McDavid than it does to Bettman.
Yes, it does but, in this case, Bettman VERY much cares about this tournament, its an NHL sanctioned and run tournament with revenues for the league.
It’s not an international best on best, it’s a lukewarm version of it and its an NHL cash cow.
You’re making a lot of judgments from an anonymous account, and I would suggest you kindly piss off.
Except that I believe McDavid really is excited to play in the tournament.
*interfered with
It was no coincidence that Garland was the smallest guy on the ice, if it had been someone else, they might not have gotten away with their last-minute shenanigan’s. Tocchet’s fingerprints are all over the ploy, Garland was following orders. No way did Tocchet want the Oilers to tie it up with seconds left on the clock. So, tie up McDavid instead. Too bad McDavid used his stick to even things up, he should have used his fists to send the message.
“The rules don’t change because there is 1 minute left.”
Exactly. Call the game by the agreed-upon rules. Thank you.
I’m thrilled that EDM went 7-2-0 on a brutal travel schedule 9 game stretch in 16 days where I thought 4-4-1 would be ok.
Heady times.
Also:
Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo the Dys
*spits*
Oilers to the Canucks:
C U Next Thursday
I would like to take the opportunity to celebrate the 7-2 records on this 9 game “road trip”.
I’m not sure the organization will, or should, have any real reaction.
If anything, some “words about officiating” and minor infractions not called.
I’m not sure all the talk about enforcers and protection and what are really all that relevant. I mean, its not like McDavid was viciously attached with a slash or an elbow or a headshot or whatnot. He was held and tackled and held.
Incidents like last night’s reveal a clear distinction within the fanbase imo.
Fans who grew up playing minor hockey shrug and say, that’s hockey. Sometimes your temper gets the better of you in the heat of battle.
Fans who never played the game tend to overreact a little more, laboring under this belief that you can ever achieve full compliance with the rule book in a game where the players have swords on their feet and spears in their hands.
Having grown up with hockey as a much more violent sport, I 100% miss the days when the game was true bloodsport. Nothing like a little hate to make for a great game.
But we’re not there anymore. Today’s NHL has to navigate the realities of the nanny state, bubble wrap culture we live in now.
When incidents like this happen, the reaction on social media is over the top because these things become a litmus test for so much more. Generational divides. Violence vs Pacifism. And hockey’s inherent tribalism (the refs are out to screw us. Life is so unfair!).
Personally I love Connor elbowing a Wild player in the head one night than cross checking Garland in the earhole the same week. Our little guy is all grown up now and taking matters of justice into his own hands.
You want the boys to win a Cup? Imagine the players around the league checking Connor with a little more hesitation and a little less aggression. That sounds like a recipe for success to me!
Why don’t you talk about the true good ol’ days where players didn’t wear masks or helmets, padding was smaller, and you could get away with having a beer inbetween periods! The hockey you grew up with is so soft compared to the TRUE, good ol’ days!
Good point.
When I was a boy reading about the legendary toughness of the Original Six players, I absolutely wished I could have watched the sport then too. Those guys were true gladiators. Some of the legendary stories of the league then sound like an unbelievable Hollywood action movie now.
Absolutely.
Do you think the possibility that McDavid would react with an elbow or cross check that could get him suspended in a playoff game is more or less likely to result in bottom 6 players clutching and grabbing him?
By the way, his elbow to the head to Johansson, a border line Lady Byng candidate every season, seemed more like an attempt to pick/interfere rather than to send any kind of a message.
Agree with your first paragraph 100%. This will only encourage teams to harass, impede frustrate 97.
I don’t believe the context really matters. In fact some randomness to it likely helps McDavid. If the players around the league see Connor as more of a loose cannon, that might get him a little more open ice. Pacifists don’t get a wide berth.
Do you think it helps or hinders Matt Tkachuk in the playoffs?
Just went to my kid’s minor league game this morning. Funny, I didn’t see any tackling and wrestling moves. And the teenage refs called penalties when they occurred.
In the NFL a penalty is a penalty, the stars are protected above all else just ask theTexans one sport advanced in the safety of its players the other is governed by old mentality.
Not actually true. Jared Goff got smoked in the chin last night and had to leave the field for a few plays. No penalty called.
Refs are going to miss some calls. Human beings are not perfect.
This is exagerated greatly…
Speaking with all my hard-core nfl buddies they do NOT believe the nfl is well officiated. They have many of the similar complaints to dedicated nhl fans
If you think the nfl officiating is great youre probably “just a casual fan” is what they tell me
Completely agree – I was sitting in that end of the ice last night and saw the whole thing.
First – I wasn’t at all surprised that Garland got away with holding McDavid down in the waning moments of the game.
Second – the cross check to Garland’s face was tame by comparison to stuff we did in minor hockey. But the look on the precious Canuck’s fans faces … you could just see the lack of comprehension … Garland had it coming, and he got what he deserved. Give em both a penalty and send them off with 2 seconds left to play. Nobody was hurt … just some feelings bent. They reacted like Garland had just gotten Bertuzzi’d. Refs then over-reacted and handed out match penalties.
I couldn’t see the Myers crosscheck to Bouch’s face from my vantage point, but saw it on the replays. Bouch should protect himself better when he’s skating up to a big boy like Myers.
Honestly, the elbow to Johanssen’s head the other night was way more vicious … I still don’t know what he did to earn that one.
McDavid is a sneaky dirty player, so is Draisaitl … and I’m here for it, cause that’s hockey.
Everyone is also forgetting a really interesting year in NHL history. 2005-06.
Go look at the playoff games. Go look at the penalty calls. Recall that Chris Pronger scored one of the most gorgeous PP slap shot goals ever on a 5-on-3, with another penalty coming to Anaheim.
They can call the game properly. They choose not to.
Even consulting older playoff gamesheets often shows a ton of powerplays. Something that is missing now.
There’s been a shift. It is for “game management” and “parity”. It has made the hockey worse by trying to create an unnatural TV show. They think the NFL method is the way. It is not.
That was the result of the Shanahan Summit during the lockout. The result was 6 powerplays per team per game & to many the cure was worse than the disease.
That was the year Sid Crosby won the scoring title with 59 points at even strength & 61 on the powerplay.
As this extremely useful source shows, powerplay opps steadily dropped from that pinnacle on an annual basis to its current average of roughly half as many.
https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/stats.html
There are no easy answers to this problem.
Really? Calling the rule book is not an easy or logical solution? Players can adapt and there will be more chances/goals.
I’m stating that the hockey was, in fact, better. People are free to be wrong and say that wasn’t true all they want.
And that was with no time to adapt. After a couple years it would have been excellent.
One of the worst rules they quietly scrapped since then – a reasonable intended pass wasn’t icing that season. That made some really interesting plays happen.
How much of the reduction in power plays is due to less calls per actual infraction or players actually adapting to the new standards and committing less fouls? I would suggest it is both since watching a game today, there seems to be way less interference, hooking and holding compared to pre-lockout, even if it is not always called consistently. I mean plays like what Garland did to McDavid last night was a regular defensive feature in the dead puck era with little expectation that is would be or should be called.
I tend to agree though the officiating standard has moved towards more lax certainly this year, with the lowest PP opportunities since the stat has been kept, with scoring starting to trend down again after a few years of nice gains.
Further down the thread I offer my recollection of how Pronger consistently got away with almost murder. Let’s not forget Torres successfully head hunting the best skaters on teams that had the Oilers outmatched and rarely even drawing a penalty.
I recall the 2005-2006 postseason as one where allowing filth became a key component of EDM advancing through to the final.
If the league was smart they would give each player a 1 game suspension making Thursdays match a must see game. The prior suspension that was bunk will hurt McDavid and he’ll recieve 2 games. I figure McDavid will forfeit over 300,000 in salary.
Where are you coming up with your figure of “$300,000 in salary?”
According to CapWages, Connor’s daily cap hit is: $65,104.
I believe if McDavid is a repeat offender (disciplined within the last 18 months), the fine is salary times games suspended divided by 82. If he is not a repeat offender, the fine is salary times games suspended divided by days in the season.
I wasn’t aware of that, thanks for clarifying.
I can’t wait to hear from some disgruntled ref in the future that Mcdavid broke some unwritten code so they wouldn’t give him the calls
I lose my mind when I hear that crap.
The days of the true enforcers were numbered when the NHL brought in the Instigator penalty in the early 90s. I mentally call it the Neil Sheehy rule, because he would cheap shot Kurri and Gretzky continuously and would never answer the resultant dance invitations. That and I saw an interview where Sheehy personally took the blame/credit for the rule.
So barring such outliers like Clark Gillies on your top line who could score a point per game and protect linemates by kicking ass, teams had to rely on so called “team toughness,” which is a code for having guys who could actually play hockey and were willing to get punched in the face.
There are still some of the Gordie Howe school, who believed in the power of initiating over retaliating. Messier is brought up here and if you ever watched that clip where Denis Savard reacts to smelling salts, know it was the result of a Messier elbow, one of several uncalled in that playoff game against Chicago. Glen Anderson was another one who was given a little extra room because of his unpredictability with the stick. The problem with that approach is the punishment that aggressive style takes on your body and the inevitable suspensions that come with it.
It’s a fine line that players like McDavid have to walk as offsetting penalties are a win for the opposing side, but you can hardly fault them for retaliating once in awhile. I don’t think McDavid’s crosscheck retaliation for getting mugged is on the same level as Tyler Myer’s sucker crosscheck on Bouchard and shouldn’t be punished the same (but probably will be, because NHL).
George Parros hates the Oilers going back to the Lowe&MacTavish days.
I’m a big fan of the Gordie Howe approach to taking a number. If he thought someone took a liberty he’d take note of who it was and exact retribution at a time of his choosing — typically when the sole referee (as was the fashion at the time) was looking elsewhere.
The other thing guys can do is to start annihilating the other team’s star players when the opportunity occurs.
The team tends to rally whenever McDavid is out, so I’m not all that worried about a suspension.
Let McDavid remind the league once a year that he is more than capable of meting out justice. It keeps the other teams honest, and puts the spotlight on the jokers in the NHL head offices.
I expect to see the lines spread out more evenly against Washington, which would also be a welcome development.
I look at the incident as 2 super competitive players battling and McDavid in the heat of the moment giving back all the shit he takes. McDavid-Leon have taken a fair amount of abuse the last 7-10 games with zero response from the rest of the team. You think it’s bad now wait till playoffs. I myself would add get some functional toughness up front and on D.
Another frustrating night for fans of skilled hockey. And unfortunately it will likely be a 2 game suspension for McDavid.
Frustrating night for the Oilers & their fans. Can’t win ‘em all.
The last few games were a bit frustrating – the other team played hard in the first and forced the Oil to get back in the game. That added to the exertion and fatigue. They need to stop playing this way.
The legs were tired esp D, exemplified by calls on – 2-14-25-14.
But no whistles on the Nucks.
And after all the calls, they let them play in the 3rd.
I just hope Myers gets an extra game. Garland McDavid were battling, but Bouch just walked up and got carbon in his teeth. It won’t happen, because it’s the NHL, but the two cases do differ.
Enjoy a glass of wine LT!..lol
Draisaitl had a pretty good take on this situation. It’s hockey, they were frustrated, and these things happen.
Imagine the grins on all our faces today if we were up by a goal, and Cory Perry was wrestling with Quinn Hughes like that at the end of the game and no penalty was called. I’d need my smile surgically removed!!
Go home and rest up and get some home cooking for the next 6 boys. 6 and 2 road trip was outstanding with that schedule.
Dominant hockey teams don’t have to play tackle defence. Underdog mentality still hasn’t left Edmonton sadly.
Are dominant teams generally down 3-0 after the first period? The start of the game is what should be making fans angry.
Are you suggesting that the Oilers are not one of the more dominant teams in the league due to the deficit last night (and the few games prior) as they traverse the continent?
Absolutely not. I’m saying it was just one game, at the end of a long road trip. Most teams see this one as a scheduled loss in September when they see the schedule. They are as good a bet as anyone to win the cup this year. I just stand by my opinion that the interference was not a big deal. And that if it was Perry on Quinn, we’d all be giddy about it. Connor Garland is kinda cut from the same cloth as Perry.
It was Vancouver playing tackle defense.
Read his comment.
McDavid and the rest of the high end players should bow out of things like the 4 Nation Challenge, future All Star games, put a stop to the endorsement commercials for awhile. Why keep endorsing and promoting the league when it’s obvious the league doesn’t care about the main players??
if the NHL won’t change, it’s well past time then to grab the bull by the horns.
That or have Bowman offer the two Irish brothers from the Boondocks Saints a contract for security reasons.
I think that McDavid and the other starts are VERY excited for the Four Nations Cup.
ASGs are a different animal.
Ya, but Olympics are around the corner. McDavid helped improve AS skills competition and his worth to the league and this tournament is important.
Even the Washington game is a good marketing opportunity
I understand that and I’m sure this tournament pales in comparison to the Olympics for most of the players but, at the same time, I do think that the players really want to play in this next month and they wouldn’t want to boycott even if that was being discussed, right?
I tend to agree with this… not only is it a tune up for the upcoming Olympics, but this tournament should be a fairly significant injection of HRR which will have a tangible impact on upcoming salary cap increases.
So, I don’t pay attention for a while and now we’re the Big Bad Bullies of the NHL while every other team has turned into even more angelic Angels? Every other fanbase seemingly can’t accept how much crap McDavid gets so they’re all compensating when he finally starts to retaliate, frustrated with 10 years of referee incompetence. This is a topsy turvy world, for sure.
I I won’t get into geopolitics here, but you’re definitely right
As long as folks like Bettman, Campbell, Parros, etc., are responsible for player safety and discipline, the league will never change.
It starts at the top. These guys rule the league with anti-skill dogma.
Bettman comes from the school of parity. He has done everything in his power to ensure it. This will never change.
All you need to know about the NHL is that McDavid does not lead the league in penalties drawn. Just egregious.
The Oilers do not need an enforcer. They do need a Sam Bennett-esque player (or a healthy Kane from 3 years ago) to target other teams top players/distract other teams.
As long as the NHL allows teams to target star players, the Oilers need to play the game. Foul, foul, foul. Distract, distract, distract.
I think that reminds me of the most frustrating part of the Holland Era. Refusal to play the muckery. Other teams abuse the LTIT Loopholes? Other teams get away with referee bias? Other teams play the borderline and dirty game to have games mired down?
No, we’re too honourable. We’ll win straight up. Almost did, too, a few times. But almost doesn’t count but for hand shoes and horse grenades.
Were the league sane, professional, honourable…
Hate to say it, but alternate reality Oil have Turtle to draw the ire of opposing players.
Sometimes it’s less about deterrence than about offering an alternative people can’t help but punch. These Oilers could use a superpest.