“How ridiculously soft are you?” “Dirtiest play”: NHL fans berate Adrian Kempe for slew-footing Oilers’ Connor McDavid

NHL fans criticized Adrian Kempe after he appeared to slew-foot Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid during Monday's game. The incident occurred in the third period when McDavid was trying to avoid two LA Kings players. As McDavid passed the puck, Kempe elbowed him into the boards and kicked out his legs, sending McDavid to the ice.

No penalty was called, and NHL Player Safety has not commented yet.

Fans took to X to express their frustration about the hit on McDavid.

"I mean yeah it is a penalty but NHL player safety? How ridiculously soft are you? No wonder comments telling you to watch some other sport or learn hockey before posting," one fan wrote.

"Dirtiest play in hockey…a cross check to the neck with hands on the stick 12” apart is a close second," another fan said.

"Maybe the refs let it go after calling so many games when mcdavid does the old ' im taking you on the outside but don’t have enough to cut to the net or we are down a goal and need a power play so im going to reach back with my one arm as though to make it look like im getting," a fan reacted.

Here are some more reactions from fans on X:

"He got away with it too. Oilers need to address this with some toughness before the deadline or they’ll be out first round. Way too soft. Teams will keep targeting their stars and will be hurt before playoffs," a fan said.

"We’ve all watched enough EDM/LAK games to see that LA’s ‘system’ for shutting down CM is just interference and roughing penalties all over the ice. If the refs called every penalty the game would take 6 hours. Yet ‘experts’ applaud how LA battles!" another fan said.

"This is why I have no interest in seeing them play the Oilers in the playoffs. Slewfooting divers," a fan mentioned.

Connor McDavid and the Oilers secured the win with a second-period goal

The Edmonton Oilers won 1-0 against the LA Kings on Monday. Connor McDavid scored the only goal. He netted it during a 4-on-4 in the second period after a rebound from Darnell Nurse’s shot.

Stuart Skinner made 30 saves for a shutout. Leon Draisaitl and Nurse assisted McDavid's goal. The Oilers have won six of their last seven games. The Kings have lost two straight after winning five in a row.