Canucks: Carson Soucy suspended, Zadorov fined for cross-checking McDavid

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Vancouver Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy was suspended one game by the NHL for tackling Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid at the end of the game.

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Amid a tumultuous end to Game 3 on Sunday in Edmonton, Soucy clashed with McDavid as the horn sounded to end the game, a 4-3 win for Soucy’s Canucks.

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Soucy gave McDavid a shove and the Oilers forward turned and delivered a nasty two-handed blow to Soucy’s leg. Soucy hit McDavid back, and then it looked like Soucy was going to land a counterpunch on McDavid’s chest…except Nikita Zadorov came up and hit McDavid in the back, sending him forward, so Soucy’s stick hit McDavid in the chin instead.

It was an ugly scene. McDavid jumped up and the commotion continued for a few more moments. As McDavid left the ice, he confronted a referee and appeared to bark at something, presumably the stick in the face.

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Soucy was given a minor penalty for cross-checking.

Before the Canucks practiced in Edmonton on Monday afternoon, Soucy was called to a hearing by the NHL’s player safety department regarding possible additional disciplinary action.

Soucy told reporters after practice that the hearing lasted only a few minutes and that he and the Canucks made their case.

Not long after, the NHL announced that Soucy would sit out Game 4.

In the video explaining their decision, the NHL acknowledged Soucy’s argument that Zadorov’s hit changed the position of McDavid’s head, but said it still did not change their position that Soucy’s cross-check merited additional discipline.

“Soucy decides to raise his bat to an unacceptably high level,” the league’s video states. ”

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Soucy described the incident as unfortunate.

“There was no intention to move a player that far forward,” he said. He added that he apologized to McDavid on the ice immediately afterward.

McDavid previously told reporters that he was fine and Soucy said he was glad to hear that.

Soucy has already been suspended once while playing for the Minnesota Wild in a game against the Arizona Coyotes in 2021. Oddly enough, the foul went to Conor Garland, who was playing for the Coyotes at the time.

Soucy was given a five-minute penalty for assault and subsequently suspended for one game.

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For his part, McDavid declined to comment specifically on the incident, but said he enjoys the intense way the Canucks play.

“THey, they have big, physical defenders who play the game hard. It’s fun to be a part of it,” he said.

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The hearing took place over the phone, meaning any resulting suspension could last as little as one game. Personal hearings concern actions that may result in a suspension of six or more games.

When deciding on a suspension, the NHL considers five factors:

• The league makes it clear that players are responsible for the consequences of their actions. So what was the nature of the behavior in question? Did the act under review violate the rules? Was it intentional or reckless? Was there excessive or unnecessary violence?

• Was the fouled player injured?

• Has the player who committed the foul been suspended before? If a player has been banned in the last 18 months, they are considered a repeat offender and will likely face a more severe ban than the first time (or at least they have not been banned in the last 18 months).

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• What was happening in the game when the incident occurred? Is it late in the game? Is the score one-sided? Did something happen in the game before the incident occurred, either immediately or earlier in the game?

• Any other factors that may be necessary to assess the incident.

Meanwhile, the NHL announced that Zadorov was fined $5,000 for his role in the incident.

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