"It all comes back to 97": NHL analyst issues bold take on 'superstar' Connor McDavid's 3-game suspension for cross-checking Connor Garland

Hockey YouTuber Steve Dangle weighed in on the Connor McDavid suspension debate. On Wednesday’s episode of "The Steve Dangle Podcast" on SDPNsports.com, the analyst took up the issue of the Edmonton Oilers’s public statement in response to McDavid being suspended for three games.

SDPNsports posted an excerpt from the podcast on their X handle (formerly Twitter).

“Steve thinks Connor McDavid has every right to be upset with his three-game suspension,” SDPN posted.

During the podcast, Dangle expressed his opinion that Connor McDavid’s punishment had been harsher than the standard. Amid speculating why the Edmonton Oilers captain was suspended for three games instead of two or even one, Dangle claimed that McDavid was the greatest star of the previous NHL season. He also believed that Edmonton’s statement reflected the player’s unhappiness with the harsh suspension.

“When that statement came out, I was like, he’s p****d,” Dangle said. “McDavid last year, was the star we’ve been begging for. And the NHL’s doing so great. Well, how come? Ratings are up. Stanley Cup Final did really well. Well, how come? It all comes back to 97.”

The podcast host also had an extreme take on Connor McDavid’s relationship with the NHL, claiming that the Oilers star “had raised a legitimate concern” about a lack of respect towards him and double standards being applied.

Connor McDavid breaks silence over NHL’s suspension verdict

Speaking with the media on Wednesday, McDavid commented on the suspension issued by the NHL's Department of Player Safety. The Oilers captain said that while he might disagree with the harshness of the sentence, he understood that the punishment was required.

“Might be a little bit harsh, but I understand their decision and we move on,” McDavid said. "I can't have that reaction, obviously. I know that, everyone knows that. Not the reaction that I'm proud of, or that anyone wants to see out of me and I understand that.”

The Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday in an official statement said that the team would not be appealing the NHL's verdict.

"The Oilers organization is disappointed and we share in our fans' frustration over the three-game suspension of our captain Connor McDavid. We support him through this process and the organization and our fans look forward to having him back in the lineup vs. Seattle next week," the Oilers’ statement said.

The Oilers captain will return for Monday’s upcoming game against the Seattle Kraken.