Oilers coach Knoblauch and Corey Perry call out NHL referees in response to McDavid suspension
Connor McDavid has just been suspended for three games after finally snapping due to missed penalties, and the Oilers coach and players are sticking up for the captain.
McDavid and Myers both were assessed three game suspensions for their high cross checks in their game on Saturday.
Oilers Coach Knoblauch Calls out Major Discrepancy in McDavid penalties
Before McDavid's suspension was announced, Coach Knoblauch went to bat for the Oilers captain while speaking to the media after practice.
Knoblauch pointed out that McDavid plays through more infractions than any other player in the league, yet isn't being rewarded for it.
You look around the NHL, if you're a team that doesn't take very many penalties, you usually don't get many powerplays He puts up with more than the average player.»
- Coach Knoblauch
In McDavid and Myers both were assessed three game suspensions seconded the belief from Knoblauch.
Perry is a veteran of the NHL at 39 years old, so his opinion here carries som weight. He's seen plenty of other superstars play through the muck of the opposition, and get forced into responding physically.
Why aren't we protecting the superstars? Why aren't we?» Perry asks. «Every other league does it? They protect their superstars."
- Corey Perry
Connor McDavid on pace for career low in penalties drawn by significant margin
Both Perry and Knoblauch referred to the fact that Connor McDavid isn't drawing penalties at the same rate he has during his career. He's also not anywhere near the top in the NHL for penalties drawn, which just seems wrong.
According to Bob Stauffer, Connor McDavid ranks 197th in penalties drawn per 60 minutes this season. That seems just entirely flawed from the NHL.
It is impossible to call every infraction committed on the ice, especially in the playoffs. But the NHL does need to make an effort to actually allow their stars to play, and not be mobbed like McDavid was by Garland. If more of these penalties were called, McDavid wouldn't have snapped and got suspended.
Hopefully the attention this situation has drawn can improve the officiating surrounding McDavid and the Oilers this season.
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