Sidney Crosby Weighs In on Connor McDavid's Suspension and Controversial NHL Officiating
A fellow NHL superstar of the game, Sidney Crosby gave his hot take on the suspension that Connor McDavid received, as well as NHL officiating.
Sidney Crosby, having been in similar situations as Connor McDavid in his career because he is also a superstar, said he knew emotions had probably won out with McDavid, and he fought back.
Sidney Crosby reveals his true feelings on Connor McDavid's play
«I saw the cross-check,» Crosby told The Athletic following the Penguins' morning skate in Los Angeles on Monday, about three hours before the suspension was levied. «But I couldn't tell if it was his glove or his stick that hit him in the face.»
«It's hard to say how bad it was from the angle that was available,» Crosby said. «You're splitting hairs.»
«It's like anything,» Crosby said. «Sometimes your emotions get the best of you. It's a physical sport. The one time you see that, you probably didn't see the nine hits that Connor took. Those ones are the ones that never make the highlights. When you retaliate, you make the highlights.»
«Whether it's him or anyone else, it's an emotional game,» Crosby said. «That's going to happen sometimes. If there were calmer or cooler circumstances, he probably wouldn't have done that.»
«That's hockey,» Crosby said.
«It's hard to say how bad it was from the angle that was available,» Crosby said. «You're splitting hairs.»
«It's like anything,» Crosby said. «Sometimes your emotions get the best of you. It's a physical sport. The one time you see that, you probably didn't see the nine hits that Connor took. Those ones are the ones that never make the highlights. When you retaliate, you make the highlights.»
«Whether it's him or anyone else, it's an emotional game,» Crosby said. «That's going to happen sometimes. If there were calmer or cooler circumstances, he probably wouldn't have done that.»
«That's hockey,» Crosby said.
It was late in the game, with just seconds remaining in the period, on a Saturday night when such an incident occurred between the Canucks and Oilers.
First, McDavid and Conor Garland exchanged shoves, tumbling to the ice as Garland tried to wrestle McDavid down.
Moments later, a risen McDavid got his licks in on Garland with a crosscheck to the side of the head.
That got McDavid ejected and subject to review by the NHL's Department of Player Safety, which came back Monday night with a three-game suspension.
Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers received the same outcome for a similar infraction on Oilers' Evan Bouchard on a different play.
Many around the league said the length of McDavid's suspension was long, considering what Garland brought to the party. Many felt the max needed was a one-game suspension because of how similar plays aren't called equally.
That is debatable right through and can be argued right to the very end of the season.
MUST READ
TRENDING NOW
