The verdict is in, and it turns out the NHL hates Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, Okay, okay, that's not actually the truth, but you have to wonder what the league is up to, after deciding to suspend the game's best player for three games.
Just to be clear again, we aren't condoning McDavid's crosscheck on Conor Garland during Saturday night's game between the Oilers and Vancouver Canucks, and we aren't saying number 97 didn't deserve to be suspended for what he did. However, as we've already written, when considering the context surrounding the incident, e.g. the buildup, how the officials conducted themselves, etc, Gary Bettman and the league should be ashamed of themselves.
It seems clear that the NHL is not doing enough to protect McDavid, who was constantly harrassed by Garland during Saturday night's game in Vancouver, In fact the Canucks forward should have already received three or four penalties due to what he was doing to the Oilers' captain, but no action was forthcoming due to horrific officiating.
Connor McDavid isn't catching much of a break
As noted by Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now, McDavid currently sits 197th in penalties drawn/per 60 at 0.89 (minimum 10 games played). Now also factor in, as per Sportsnet's Mark Spector, that the Oilers' captain has possessed the puck in the offensive zone more than any other player in the NHL this season, at 1:25 per contest.
In short, McDavid is fed up with getting so much physical abuse without being protected, which is bad for anyone to deal with full stop, never mind the best player in the game. In any event, he's clearly now had enough, which in turn could hurt the league.
According to a report by the 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast, McDavid and his camp are strongly considering scaling back their NHL tour events (such as media interviews) to push things for the league. Apparently, the seven-time All-Star has advised the NHL that his intention is to draw attention to the lack of protection superstar players get in hockey.
On the one hand, this has understandably drawing a plethora of negative comments from critics, saying that no one is above the game and that McDavid needs to stop whining. On the other hand, there are just as many people applauding the centre for taking a stand against how the NHL officiates games.
How do the NHL compare to other leagues with their treatment of superstars?
It's an interesting situation, in so much as the NHL has always been more about the game and the teams as opposed to individuals. And keep in mind that even superstar players such as McDavid and Sidney Crosby, are often lauded for how down-to-earth they are compared to the top players in the other major professional sports leagues around North America.
However, as much as this humility is a good thing, you do still need your best players to stand out and help promote the game and grow it. Along these lines, you certainly see the likes of Patrick Mahomes and LeBron James being well-protected in their own respective sports. (In fact, you can argue that the NFL and NBA are too protective of their superstars at times.)
Corey Perry is exasperated about how much punishment his teammate takes, which is saying something considering how physical and on the edge Perry can be at times. As per Spector, he said:
"It's frustrating to watch when you're on his team because you see the abuse he takes. ... Anybody else in the league that stuff happens to, it's a penalty. But because he has the puck so much, (referees) don't want to call a penalty every time."
Ultimately, we would say that there has to be a better way for this situation to be resolved, while also believing that McDavid won't actually follow through with his threat to step back from helping to market the league. However, this doesn't change the reality that Bettman, the Department of Player Safety, the officials and the NHL in general have got to get their act together, as what they are doing at the moment is having a negative impact on the reputation of the game.