The Oilers will have to skate without their captain for the next little bit here, as the NHL Department of Player Safety officially suspended Connor McDavid for three games for cross-checking the Canucks' Conor Garland last Saturday.
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid has been suspended for three games for cross-checking Vancouver’s Conor Garland. https://t.co/hxR9X8Z2Ml
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 20, 2025
The incident with Garland, which came with a match penalty for McDavid, occurred with five seconds left in the game, came down just one day after the NHL's DoPS confirmed that McDavid would at the very least have a hearing.
Connor McDavid was issued a match penalty on this play for cross-checking Conor Garland. pic.twitter.com/sB2Gpb3xAA
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 19, 2025
Under the terms of the CBA and based on his average annual salary, McDavid will forfeit $195,312.51 in salary during the suspension, which will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
This is actually the second suspension of McDavid's NHL career, as he was previously suspended for two games in Feb. 2019 for an illegal check to the head of Nick Leddy.
Along with McDavid, Vancouver defenseman Tyler Myers was hit with a three-game suspension of his own for his actions in Saturday's Oilers-Canucks contest. Myers' suspension is also for a cross-check, as he nailed Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the same melee that got McDavid busted for a cross-check to Garland.
Tyler Myers has been suspended for three games for cross-checking Evan Bouchard. pic.twitter.com/kmta8VEVpO
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 20, 2025
Under the terms of the CBA and, based on his average annual salary, Myers will forfeit $46,875.00. The money also goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
The Oilers and Canucks will reconvene on Jan. 23, but unfortunately for all involved, McDavid and Myers will (obviously) both be unavailable for their respective clubs for that contest.