"Not enough"; "A little extreme": NHL fans debate Connor McDavid's 3-game suspension for cross-checking Conor Garland

The NHL's decision to suspend Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid for three games following his cross-checking incident against Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland has sparked fierce debate among hockey fans online.

The incident occurred in the final minute of Saturday's game, with McDavid retaliating after an on-ice skirmish with Garland. The Oilers captain was assessed a match penalty for the cross-check to Garland's face as he was getting up.

While some fans believed the three-game suspension is justified, others argued that it's not enough of a punishment for such a dangerous play.

One fan commented on X/Twitter:

"Not enough," suggesting the league should have handed down a harsher sentence.

On the other end, another fan said:

"Wow! A little extreme. NHL has now set a precedent. Any chance they’ll be consistent going forward? I have my doubts."

Here are some more reactions from fans on X:

"I was thinking a game TBH, I just wanted to see more than just a fine. DOPS is all over the place," one fan wrote.

"So you can cross check mcdavid in the face and get one game (playoffs so “equals” two regular season games) and you can slew foot him and get a fine but he gets 3 games …. Got it. Makes sense," another fan said.

"I agree , yes he does these and usually gets away with them but he also gets tortured most games without penalties to the other side," one fan added.

"Excessive. If this is the standard Florida should have a player suspended every game," a fan said.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Connor McDavid will forfeit $195,312.51 in salary, which will be directed to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Conor Garland shares thoughts on Connor McDavid's cross-check

Canucks forward Conor Garland offered his perspective on the cross-check delivered by McDavid during Saturday’s game.

Garland acknowledged the intensity of the late-game situation:

"I'm just holding him. I mean, he's the best player to ever do it," Garland said via Reuters. "So, the time's running out. And I just thought that was maybe the best way for us to win a game was to do that.

"But he's a passionate guy. He's a good dude. I mean, I don't think he was just his passion. It's a tight game late in the game. Everybody has the fire in their belly trying to win a hockey game. So that's the stuff that happens," he added.

The three-game suspension will see Connor McDavid miss Edmonton's upcoming matchups against the Washington Capitals, Canucks and Buffalo Sabres.