Soucy suspended for cross-checking McDavid in Canucks-Oilers series

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The Vancouver Canucks will be without defenceman Carson Soucy next game. He has been suspended by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for one game.

Vancouver’s Carson Soucy has been suspended for one playoff game for cross-checking Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. https://t.co/EMKIXgUB2R

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 13, 2024

The suspension comes as a result of Soucy’s cross-check to the face of Connor McDavid, after the final horn sounded the end in Game 3.

“Just an unfortunate incident due to some timing,” Soucy explained to reporters in Edmonton today. “There wasn’t any intent to get a player up that high.”

Indeed, McDavid’s positioning changed right before he was hit due to a cross-check in the back from Canucks defenceman Nikita Zadorov. Zadorov was fined by the NHL for the action earlier in the day.

In a video released by the NHL Department of Player Safety, the league explained that while it bought Soucy’s explanation, he still chose to “raise his stick to an unacceptably high level.”

“It is important to note that McDavid is cross-checked in the back by Canucks defenceman Nikita Zadorov as Soucy delivers his cross-check,” they said.

“We acknowledge Soucy’s argument that the cross-check by Zadorov is forceful enough to cause a change in McDavid’s position and may contribute to Soucy’s cross-check landing to the head. However, this does not change the fact that Soucy’s actions merit supplemental discipline. This play happens well after the game has ended, and it is not a hockey play.”

Vancouver’s loss of Soucy is significant, as the 6-foot-5 blueliner was one of the matchup defencemen against McDavid’s line.

With Soucy out of the lineup for Game 4 tomorrow, look for Noah Juulsen to draw into the lineup for the Canucks. That should allow Ian Cole to play his natural (left) side. They could move Cole up to play with Tyler Myers or elevate Zadorov instead.

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