Nick Leddy comments on 2 game suspension to Connor McDavid.

Leddy shares his thoughts.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Nick Leddy comments on 2 game suspension to Connor McDavid.
Gerry Angus/Icon SMI/Zuma

New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy has commented on the hit to the head that he received this week and his comments may surprise you.

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past 24 hours, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced that they would be suspending Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid, the Oilers' captain, for 2 games following what they deemed to be an illegal blow to the head of Leddy.

There has been plenty of debate regarding whether or not the hit deserved to rise to the level of a suspension or a multi game suspension but there was no question that McDavid's shoulder did make significant contact with Leddy's head during the hit. The league has made a noticeable effort to crack down on blows to the head in recent years and in many ways this seems like a message from the league's Department of Player Safety. McDavid is a superstar level player and given that the hit was questionable, at the very least, I feel like they viewed this as a chance to make an example out of McDavid for the other superstar players in the league.

In fact Connor McDavid himself made some comments earlier today that appeared to indicate that my theory may not have been too far off of the mark. McDavid was clearly unhappy with the decision from the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety and was not afraid to say as much earlier in the day.

"I wasn't expecting to be suspended but after the tone of the hearing I wasn't surprised. I know they listen to you(in the hearing)but I'm not sure they care," said McDavid as per our earlier report.

When compared to the kind of comments usually made by McDavid there's little question that these were fiery in nature, however Leddy on the other hand seemed to take everything in stride. In spite of the fact that he could have been upset about taking a shot to the head he really seemed to brushed it all off

I think it was just an unfortunate event in the game, I don’t fault him at all for it. Things happen fast. The league made the decision," said Leddy.

Perhaps it may have something to do with how McDavid handled the situation however, as Leddy also revealed that McDavid reached out through former Oiler Jordan Eberle to apologize and check in on the status of the player he had just hit in the head. 

[pub]

Source: