Mcdavid 5min Match Penalty: Cross check to the face of Garland (Suspended 3 games )

[v00d00daddy]

I actually dissagree here. His frustration was probably not over the fact that they did not get a 5-10 seconds PP. He more likely got frustrated over the fact that game after game the refs somehow "miss" clear penalties like this, despite staring straight at them.

No matter what some haters try to argue in this thread, there are very few more clear penalties than this, yet 4 different refs somehow "missed" it. And if McDavid does nothing, next time the opponent can get even more brazen, and somehow the refs are going to miss it again, this seems to be the pattern. At some point, enough is enough.

Hey like I said..part of me is glad he did it. I grew up a 66 fan and couldn’t believe the shit he had to put up with. Clutch, grab AND slashes and cross checks.

But in this case, even if the refs had called every other infraction he thought Vancouver did earlier in the game he would have still reacted the way he did.

The idea of garland getting called for that hold/smother with a few seconds left would have stopped mcd is ridiculous.

Garland did it for that specific reason. Make it a 5 on 4 instead of a 6 on 5 and the best player in the world out of it.

 

[Dondini3]

McDavid knows that 5v4 > 6v5. He also knows that there's <20 seconds left so he knows the puck is going to the net, not back up to the guy at the point who's being hard covered. Keeping a defender away and giving Bouchard more open ice is one of the most valuable things he can do in that moment. Obviously the intent isn't to take himself out of the play indefinitely, just enough to give them an advantage on that scoring chance. When he sees that the puck is coming back out, that's when he tries to get up.

Like he's laying nearly perfectly still initially. You cannot convince me that's McDavid giving it his all to get back in the play.

lol this is exactly it. Mcdavid could have got up if he wanted to. He clearly puts his weight on garland and then only tries to get up when the intended play he was watching was finished and that it was preferable if he got up and continued the play. Players get tangled up and battle like this on the ice all the time without a call.

 

[v00d00daddy]

I think most Oiler fans are 'ok' with the suspension (maybe a game too much)... but the main issue we have is the lack of calls on McDavid throughout the whole year and this whole Garland thing just illustrates that. When McDavid is the 197th or something in the league when it comes to drawing penalties... there is something seriously wrong. Just call a penalty a damn penalty... that's all we ask.

Is he that low on drawing penalties? That’s nuts

 

[Juxta Position]

McDavid knows that 5v4 > 6v5. He also knows that there's <20 seconds left so he knows the puck is going to the net, not back up to the guy at the point who's being hard covered. Keeping a defender away and giving Bouchard more open ice is one of the most valuable things he can do in that moment. Obviously the intent isn't to take himself out of the play indefinitely, just enough to give them an advantage on that scoring chance. When he sees that the puck is coming back out, that's when he tries to get up.

Like he's laying nearly perfectly still initially. You cannot convince me that's McDavid giving it his all to get back in the play.

so when he's trying to get up and punches Garland in the back of the head because Garland is holding his arm...was what? all for show? That's really weak reasoning.

 

[Da McBomb]

Is he that low on drawing penalties? That’s nuts

 

[mouser]

For those wondering why McDavid received a 3 game suspension while Matthews only received a 2 game suspension for a similar cross check a couple years ago, the answer is in the DoPS videos. Players with a prior suspension history will often receive extra games on their suspension.

Matthews suspension video:

McDavid suspension video

 

[fancy dan]

McDavid has literally drawn the most penalties since he's come into the league. Acting like McDavid doesn't get any calls is just hilarious.

with the above in mind, how would you rationalize that he's dropped to 47th in the league this year for drawing penalties?

 

[Anglesmith]

I think most Oiler fans are 'ok' with the suspension (maybe a game too much)... but the main issue we have is the lack of calls on McDavid throughout the whole year and this whole Garland thing just illustrates that. When McDavid is the 197th or something in the league when it comes to drawing penalties... there is something seriously wrong. Just call a penalty a damn penalty... that's all we ask.

It's not a McDavid problem. It's not a "protect the stars" problem. It's across the board. The rules are written in such a way that you can defend a call or a lack of call on most plays through different interpretations.

It's not like third line plugs don't have to fight through hooking and holding to get where they want to go. They all do. If it's a problem that McDavid faces too much of this stuff, that's just a symptom of the global issue that rules aren't enforced strictly enough.

Ultimately, any complaining about the suspension from McDavid or anyone else is just a way of saying "I/he should be allowed to cross check others in the face when I'm upset." A rules enforcement discussion is a separate matter and isn't anything new.

 

[crowfish]

The fact that you're making excuses for such an obvious suspendable play? He deserved every game of it stop crying.

You know what happens when someone pushes MacKinnon to the edge? He drops the gloves and fight like a man not this b**** cross check in the face ****

Meanwhile, in some alternative universe where McDavid dropped the gloves with 5"8 Conor Garland, you are on a hockey forum calling McDavid a bitch for picking a fight with the small guy.

 

[v00d00daddy]

Wow. Thanks

 

[HighLifeMan]

Is he that low on drawing penalties? That’s nuts

He's drawn 14 calls this year in 43 games. That's tied for 47th in the NHL.

The exact same totals as Mackinnon and Kucherov. No outrage for those guys though, unsurprisingly.

 

[Muffin]

with the above in mind, how would you rationalize that he's dropped to 47th in the league this year for drawing penalties?

Who knows, it's a small sample size. You can't take a small 40 some games sample size over a span of 600+ games.

 

[Toby91ca]

I think most Oiler fans are 'ok' with the suspension (maybe a game too much)... but the main issue we have is the lack of calls on McDavid throughout the whole year and this whole Garland thing just illustrates that. When McDavid is the 197th or something in the league when it comes to drawing penalties... there is something seriously wrong. Just call a penalty a damn penalty... that's all we ask.

Except actual stats show otherwise. For the current season, he's 47th, but largely contingent on small numbers....so one more draw puts him at 37th.....doesn't take much more penalties to shift the stats. Current #1 has drawn 24 penalties so far this year. Last season McDavid was #6, for 2022/23 he was #1.....all-seasons combined since he's entered the league, he's #1.

 

[Bruce Granville]

He is too fast for most D to even try to lift his stick or poke check.
With slower players the opponent at least can imagine to touch the puck without an infraction.

 

[fancy dan]

i've said it before, it's a slippery slope when you allow non-skilled players (like garland) to hold the leagues best player for upwards of 15 seconds, in the waning minutes of a one goal game. then having the star stand up frustrated with the no call, and cross check a player, resulting in a three game suspension. why not just do that to him continuously if you're not getting the initial call? in no world should any player be allowed to blatantly commit a penalty on another other player regardless of their skill level.

it's not being talked about enough what an absolute horrible look this is for the NHL and their refs. i'd be interested to hear the convo with the director of reffing and those refs. Their conduct was an abomination of the game.

 

[PuckG]

Who knows, it's a small sample size. You can't take a small 40 some games sample size over a span of 600+ games.

You guys do it all the time to pretend MacKinnon is in the same tier as McDavid. But good to know that doesn’t work now…

 

[theMajor]

Except actual stats show otherwise. For the current season, he's 47th, but largely contingent on small numbers....so one more draw puts him at 37th.....doesn't take much more penalties to shift the stats. Current #1 has drawn 24 penalties so far this year. Last season McDavid was #6, for 2022/23 he was #1.....all-seasons combined since he's entered the league, he's #1.

really puts to bed the absurd narrative that the "nhl doesnt protect its stars"....I'd argue they are protected too much which leads to entitlement once the punishment is FINALLY handed down like we are seeing now. McDougal has gotten away with murder playoff series after playoff series, its time the DoPS stepped up

 

[DeltaSwede]

McDavid knows that 5v4 > 6v5. He also knows that there's <20 seconds left so he knows the puck is going to the net, not back up to the guy at the point who's being hard covered. Keeping a defender away and giving Bouchard more open ice is one of the most valuable things he can do in that moment. Obviously the intent isn't to take himself out of the play indefinitely, just enough to give them an advantage on that scoring chance. When he sees that the puck is coming back out, that's when he tries to get up.

Like he's laying nearly perfectly still initially. You cannot convince me that's McDavid giving it his all to get back in the play.

Don't even try to point out the obvious or be sensible in this thread. You'll just get bombarded with replies about how Garland holding McDavids arm is the most egregious action on the ice and that it was justified that McDavid cross checks him in the face. Then it will be some ramblings about the league needing to protect its star players. McDavid meanwhile has gotten the most calls since he's entered the league.

Thanks for making sense and seeing the obvious.

 

[PuckG]

Agreed with most of it except “protecting superstars/face of the league.”

If you call penalties fairly and consistently, you protect all players including superstars.

If you don’t call penalties by the book, including missing infractions on so called superstars, you are effectively giving preferential treatment to their opposition.

 

[PuckG]

Don't even try to point out the obvious or be sensible in this thread. You'll just get bombarded with replies about how Garland holding McDavids arm is the most egregious action on the ice and that it was justified that McDavid cross checks him in the face. Then it will be some ramblings about the league needing to protect its star players. McDavid meanwhile has gotten the most calls since he's entered the league.

Thanks for making sense and seeing the obvious.

Sounds like you just want to be outraged for the purpose of being outraged.

Consensus over 60 pages is McDavids suspension is justified because a retaliatory cross check is not acceptable.

Consensus over 60 pages is also that officiating should be fair and consistent across the board whether superstar or not. That means calling infractions like Garlands hold.

But don’t let that stop you from yelling at the sky.

 

[v00d00daddy]

Except actual stats show otherwise. For the current season, he's 47th, but largely contingent on small numbers....so one more draw puts him at 37th.....doesn't take much more penalties to shift the stats. Current #1 has drawn 24 penalties so far this year. Last season McDavid was #6, for 2022/23 he was #1.....all-seasons combined since he's entered the league, he's #1.

Hmmm that 197 is misleading

But being #1 since he’s entered the league doesn’t mean that refs aren’t missing calls.

But now it sure sounds a bit like whining in his favour

 

[Mez]

Im glad this event is bringing attention to how terrible this league has been run.

 

[Toby91ca]

Agreed with most of it except “protecting superstars/face of the league.”

If you call penalties fairly and consistently, you protect all players including superstars.

If you don’t call penalties by the book, including missing infractions on so called superstars, you are effectively giving preferential treatment to their opposition.

I agree with everything PK is saying in the video except for a few MAJOR items:

1 - not in the video, but in the written part to his post....let's not talk player safety here, McDavid wasn't in an unsafe position at any time. Hugely frustrating to have a guy defend you like that, it's beyond gross that a player would do that to level the playing field against a guy that's simply well beyond your skill level....be frustrated with that, but don't turn it into something it's not.

2 - stop blaming the refs for the suspension, that's totally asinine. I guess the logic, again, it's frustrating, but not an excuse to cross-check a guy in the head.

3 - this is probably the biggest issue I have with PK's rant and a lot of other people's rants. I agree....refs weren't calling a penalty on Garland for his antics (holding, etc.), but if the refs decided to call a penalty there, the whistle would still not have been blown any sooner than it was....the Oilers had the puck the entire time, right up until the whistle was blown with 2 seconds to go. It's just a really stupid take....if the ref had blown the whistle and called the penalty, the cross check wouldn't have happened.....100% wrong, the whistle for penalty call on Garland would have only happened after the cross check took place because the Oilers still had the puck at that point......and regardless of rules for when to blow the whistle, they wouldn't have wanted the whistle to go yet either. The only way the play is blown dead earlier is if they were also calling a penalty on Mcdavid....which he did deserve for roughing, but I don't think anyone is making that argument.

But being #1 since he’s entered the league doesn’t mean that refs aren’t missing calls.

Absolutely not and tons of infractions are missed or let go....same as with a lot of other players....just not a good look to complain about them non-stop in favour of the guy that seems to be benefit the very most from calls (historically since he's been in the league). It's possible he should draw so many more penalties than everyone else in the league and they only catch 25% of those when the average is 50% for every other player, so could be valid argument, but optics are still bad here.

 

[Little Psycho]

Protecting superstars is starting to sound like you want an advantage over the rest of the league and its players. Have your teammates step up for you if you’re so concerned. Do I think three games is excessive without him ever getting fined? Yes but to be honest I think he’s had it a long time coming with the dirty plays/hits that they have decided to throw the book at him. He eventually got “caught” and they disregarded the context.

Also, the refs continue to be a big issue because they suck at de-escalating till it’s too late

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

This is a terrible statistic to quote. The top guys in the league for this stat are fighters, because typically they have limited ice team and draw matching penalties by fighting.

As examples Draisaitl is 129th and MacKinnon is 257th in this stat.

What is better is to look at net penalties drawn. Since 2015 no one has a better net penalties drawn than McDavid. This nonsense that the league is against him needs to stop.