Oilers call out Kings' Edler on "extremely dangerous" McDavid hit
The Edmonton Oilers, suffice it to say, weren’t thrilled with Los Angeles Kings defenceman Alex Edler’s knee landing on Connor McDavid in a 3-1 loss at Rogers Place on Wednesday night.
And they weren’t shy to share that fact.
“Obviously, I didn’t like the hit,” Oilers forward Zach Hyman told reporters after the loss. “Good on [Darnell Nurse] for jumping in there and sticking up for Connor. It’s one of those players where you beat a D and he stick a knee out. It’s a dangerous play.
“It happened to me. Same play. Same guy. So obviously not happy with it. I don’t know if he’s doing it intentionally or whatnot, but you just can’t be [doing] that.”
Connor McDavid gets sandwiched by Edler and Anderson-Dolan, causing a ruckus in the neutral zone#LetsGoOilers #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/tpytfD9u7c
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) November 17, 2022
Edler landed the questionable collision with the captain in the second period, when McDavid was stood up at the blue line trying to enter the Kings’ zone. The Los Angeles defender caught McDavid with a knee, prompting Nurse to drop the gloves and go after Edler.
“If I’d knee someone like that, I would expect the other team to react the same way,” Nurse said. “It is what it is.”
Nurse was assessed a double minor for roughing on the play, and Edler caught a roughing and kneeing minor for the infraction.
"It was a tight game, reminiscent of the playoffs last year."
Zach Hyman speaks after the #Oilers drop a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at @RogersPlace. pic.twitter.com/TGqOB9LXeA
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 17, 2022
Edler could face supplemental discipline, too, though no hearing has been announced at the time of publication.
He received a two-game suspension in the 2021 season for kneeing Hyman, then with the Leafs. Hyman sustained a sprained MCL on the play and missed 11 games.
“I thought it was a questionable hit. A questionable hit,” Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said postgame. “I’m sure they’ll take a look at it, past history and all that stuff. We see our captain take a hit like that, a teammate stepped up and took care of things.”
The Oilers play the Kings next on January 9 in Los Angeles.