A recent on-ice incident has again fueled the debate over how the NHL disciplines players who make dangerous hits. Player safety is in question as similar incidents continue to occur. The situation also connects with another March incident that has not fully settled.
As a result, more focus has moved toward how the NHL handles these situations.
Why Connor McDavid’s Player Safety Comments Matter After the Connor Zary Hit
The hit involving A.J. Greer and Connor Zary has become the latest example in the ongoing player safety debate. During the third period, Greer hooked Zary and then pushed him from behind into the boards, sending him head-first into the corner.
NHL officials assessed a 2-minute minor, a 5-minute major, and a game misconduct, resulting in Greer’s ejection.
Zary remained on the ice for several minutes while holding his upper body before getting up on his own. He did not return to the game, and the team chose to remain careful after the incident. The NHL Department of Player Safety is expected to review the play and decide on further discipline.
This situation directly connects to the comments Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid made earlier in the week. Speaking about the current system, he said, “I think player safety has done their best. It’s not an easy thing to do. With that being said, I think there is reason to take a look at how the whole process works…
“If every time there is a suspension, everybody complains about it well, why don’t we take a look at the process and figure out if there’s a better way to make sure that both parties are happy because it seems like there’s a lot of frustration.”
As similar plays continue to occur, that concern has become more relevant. The focus is not only on this one hit but also on how decisions are made across different cases.
NHL Department of Player Safety head George Parros earlier explained the approach, saying, “When we evaluate these plays, we look at the play and not the players. If we determine that play was worthy of supplemental discipline, we then look at history of the players involved and if there is an injury or not.”
The Zary hit took place just a few days after Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was ruled out for the season due to a dangerous knee hit. Speaking about that incident, Parros showed his firm stance, mentioning, “This is how we come to make all of our decisions. We did this and made this decision under those circumstances, felt that this was the appropriate response, and so I stand by it.”
Even with that explanation, criticism continues to grow from around the league. Pittsburgh Penguins writer Josh Yohe shared his view, saying, “When the NHL starts letting dirty plays go largely unpunished, which has been a theme all season, actions like this become more typical. We see it all the time. The league is too arrogant/oblivious to understand. Nothing tough about this play. It’s a soft, dangerous play.”
READ MORE: Oilers Star Connor McDavid Puts His Foot Down on Call for DoPS Reform
Recent incidents add more context to this pattern, as Radko Gudas delivered a knee-on-knee hit that ended Matthews’ season earlier in March. Gudas was also involved in a play that injured Sidney Crosby during Olympic action.
With several cases happening close together, the focus has shifted toward how consistent the league’s decisions are. McDavid’s call to review the process now carries more importance as the league looks ahead.
