NHL fines Kings player for dirty play on Edmonton Oilers' McDavid
An LA Kings player has found himself in hot water with the NHL Department of Player Safety after slew-footing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid.
Adrian Kempe was fined the maximum amount of $5,000 by the NHL for a play he made on McDavid in the third period of Monday night’s 1-0 Oilers victory. McDavid made a play on the half-boards inside the Kings’ zone before passing off the puck, after which Kempe swooped in from behind and kicked out McDavid’s legs.
No penalty was called on the play, but the NHL was still able to catch it.
Here's the Kempe slew-foot. I honestly can't believe the officials didn't catch this. pic.twitter.com/phQZigoOtI
— Kevin McCurdy (@McCurdy1987) January 14, 2025
Luckily, it appears McDavid was uninjured on the play and was able to play the remainder of the game. And the slew-footing was not the first time in that game that the Oilers captain was the recipient of a potentially dangerous play.
In the second period, Kings forward Alex Laferriere was unhappy with a hit that McDavid laid on him in front of the Oilers bench. After the hit, Laferriere decided to grapple onto McDavid’s leg and throw him down in a WWE-esque play.
Alex Laferriere and Connor McDavid going at it 😅 pic.twitter.com/gnmtuGZHoS
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) January 14, 2025
Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen immediately responded by grabbing onto Laferriere, and the two were given penalties on the play. McDavid was able to make the Kings pay as he scored the only goal of the game on the ensuing 4-on-4 shift.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CONNOR MCDAVID 🎂 pic.twitter.com/bd4rG4iHMe
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 14, 2025
Kempe’s $5,000 fine will be paid toward the Player’s Emergency Assistance Fund.
We’ll see if the Oilers have some kind of response in store for Kempe when the two teams meet again at Rogers Place on April 14.