Oilers’ Connor McDavid says 3-game suspension was ‘harsh’ but admits he ‘can’t have that reaction’

EDMONTON — Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid feels his three-game suspension for cross-checking Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland was a “little bit harsh” however is taking possession for his position within the wrongdoing.

“Clearly, there’s a lot of holding and holding down — he holds my head down for a little bit bit — however I can’t have that response,” McDavid stated. “I do know that. Everybody is aware of that. Not the response that I’m happy with or that anybody needs to see out of me, and I perceive that.”

McDavid was talking to the media Wednesday for the primary time since he struck Garland within the head within the dying seconds of Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Vancouver. His cross-check got here after roughly 15 seconds of being entangled with Garland, the latter phases of which noticed McDavid pinned to the ice after which held.

McDavid stated he didn’t discover that there was no delayed penalty sign from referees Wes McCauley and Chris Lee on Garland earlier than he cross-checked him.

“Perhaps the entire thing is averted with a blow of the whistle or one thing like that,” McDavid stated.

Throughout his 10-minute scrum, McDavid both empathized with the referees’ jobs or stated he revered them on 5 events. Although he feels Garland ought to have been penalized earlier than his outburst, he had little interest in criticizing McCauley or Lee.

As an alternative, McDavid took situation with the usual of officiating within the sport.

“I feel everyone as gamers throughout the league, not simply me, not simply guys on this room, simply wish to see the sport referred to as (in order that) a penalty within the first (interval) is a penalty within the third. A penalty in October is a penalty in April,” he stated. “Guys simply need that normal, need that consistency, I’d say. I’d say that’s an enormous a part of it’s simply the consistency, which is hard to ask for. It goes from sport to sport (and) ref to ref.

“As I stated, the refs have a tough job. I’ve nothing however the utmost respect for the refs and the work that they do. It’s a thankless job. It truly is. However simply name the sport.”

The Oilers are twenty seventh within the NHL this season with 117 power-play alternatives. McDavid himself is drawing below a penalty per 60 minutes this season for the primary time in his profession, along with his 0.89 good for 225th within the league earlier than Wednesday’s video games — one thing his coach Kris Knoblauch has lamented too.

McDavid seems at it extra from the staff perspective. The Oilers, who’ve the most effective cumulative energy play for the reason that begin of the 2018-19 season, have managed play at five-on-five and are close to the highest of the NHL in a number of offensive metrics. But they’re getting so few probabilities with the person benefit: simply 2.49 per sport.

“Return to different sports activities,” McDavid stated. “I feel the quarterback (in soccer) attracts essentially the most penalties. Why is that? It’s as a result of he has the ball essentially the most. That’s not something apart from he’s received the ball greater than different guys, so he attracts extra penalties.

“In our sport, normally if in case you have the puck, you’re going to attract extra penalties. We’ve received the puck lots. We assault the web lots, it looks like. It looks like possibly we might draw a pair extra. However I’ve received a whole lot of respect for the refs.”

The three-game ban was the second suspension of McDavid’s profession. He was given a two-game suspension for an unlawful verify to the top on New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy in February 2019.

The cross-check on Garland got here after he wasn’t penalized for a success on Minnesota Wild winger Marcus Johansson late within the second interval of a 5-3 win in Minnesota final Wednesday. McDavid appeared to maneuver his arm ever so barely as he skated by Johansson and linked along with his head. Johansson left the sport has hasn’t performed since.

“It’s robust to skate along with your arms tucked in,” McDavid stated. “I’m not making an attempt to get him in any respect. That’s extraordinarily unlucky. I really feel terrible about that. The league alluded to historical past within the suspension. I’m undecided I’ve a historical past of being a grimy participant.

“Clearly, I’m not making an attempt to harm guys. Each sport I’m going on the market, I’m considering, ‘How am I going to attain? How am I going to make performs? How am I going to assist the staff win?’ It’s not, ‘Who am I going to elbow subsequent?’ That’s not who I’m. I don’t suppose anybody right here thinks that. It’s an unlucky week.”

McDavid is eligible to return to the Oilers lineup on Monday when the Seattle Kraken go to Edmonton.

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(Picture: Derek Cain / Getty Pictures)