The Grape One has spoken.
Canadian hockey icon Don cherry used his weekly podcast to take the NHL to task for handing Oilers’ superstar Connor McDavid a three game suspension in retaliation for what was blatant interference on the part of Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland in the dying seconds of 3-2 loss on January 18.
McDavid returns to the ice tonight against the Seattle Kracken in a bid to help his team take over sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.
Hockey Cherry took aim at the NHL, criticizing both its officiating and its rules for failing to protect the league’s biggest stars. Cherry used his Grapevine podcast to highlight the ongoing dangers posed by un-policed physical play.
“It was ridiculous,” Cherry said of the unpenalized holds and grabs Garland used on McDavid during their recent matchup.
“I mean, he (Garland) really had him tied up.” Cherry argued that McDavid’s retaliatory cross-check was inevitable under the circumstances, adding that such infractions often go ignored by referees until tempers boil over.
Cherry didn’t entirely absolve McDavid, however, conceding that George Parros and the NHL’s Department of Player Safety had little choice but to suspend both McDavid and Tyler Myers, who received an identical three-game punishment for a separate headshot.
But for Cherry, the real issue lies in the league’s ‘modern’ approach to protecting its stars. The instigator rule, which penalizes players who start fights in defence of their teammates, is a particular sore spot. Cherry fondly recalled an era when enforcers were allowed to keep star players safe.
“Back then, everybody took care of guys like Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt,” Cherry said. “If you picked on them, there was someone coming after you. Now, with the two, five, and ten-minute penalties for instigating, teams are handcuffed. It’s ridiculous.”
Cherry shared a personal anecdote from his coaching days with the Boston Bruins in the 1970s, recalling how he convinced top defenceman Brad Park to stop fighting. “I told him not to fight, and when he asked what to do if someone speared him, I said, ‘Don’t worry, there’ll be someone there to take care of it.’ After that, he never had to fight again.”
The McDavid suspension has reignited debates over player safety, particularly as the league’s brightest stars continue to be targeted by opponents. Edmonton Oilers executives and fans voiced their frustration in a public statement: “The Oilers organization is disappointed and we share in our fans’ frustration over the three-game suspension of our captain, Connor McDavid. We look forward to his return against Seattle.”
Even McDavid himself acknowledged the challenge of moving on from the incident. “It was a little harsh, but I understand their decision,” the superstar said.
However, not everyone sides with Cherry. Former NHL general manager Brian Burke defended the suspension, arguing that the league must take a hard line against headshots, regardless of a player’s star status.
“Cross-checks to the head have no place in the game,” Burke said on The Sheet Podcast. “We all want the best players to play, but that doesn’t mean they get a free pass to cross-check someone in the head.”
