Indeed, the NHL's best player got sandwiched between Nikita Zadorov and Carson Soucy, and the Department of Player Safety was certainly not going to let it slide.
First, let's see what happened.
https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1789875492851433687
It's a very hard contact to the face, and McDavid could have been seriously injured. However, this is part of the playoffs, and many Vancouver fans are calling it an injustice, mentioning that the sanctions are too severe.
Nikita Zadorov received a fine, while Soucy will have a hearing, which likely means a suspension.
The recurring point is that if the victim had not been Connor McDavid, the NHL would not have reacted as intensely.
In my opinion, we're talking about a cross-check to the face by Soucy. His stick was placed directly in front of McDavid's head, and there's no doubt about it.
As for Zadorov, I think a fine is quite minimal considering the impact of his action. He propelled #97 towards Soucy's stick, and the repercussions were greater.
In any case, this series is far from over. There's a lot of animosity between the two rivals, and it promises more intensity ahead.
POLL | ||
How many games should Carson Soucy get? | ||
0 | 73 | 23.8 % |
1 | 94 | 30.6 % |
2025-26 | 12 | 3.9 % |
More than 2 | 128 | 41.7 % |
List of polls |