NHL: Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks – Source: Imagn

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has found himself in hot water after his controversial cross-check to the face of Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland on Saturday night.

McDavid was hit with a match penalty and thrown out of the game. On Sunday, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that McDavid will have a disciplinary hearing for his actions.

McDavid, who has been suspended once before in his career, could very well be facing his second career suspension.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch sees things far more from McDavid’s point of view.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of frustration,” Knoblauch told the media on Monday. “You know, Connor plays through a lot. Ironically, doesn’t draw very many penalties. Our team doesn’t draw very many penalties, for that matter, which is kind of ironic because we usually have the puck and other teams defending more but you look at run the NHL, if you’re a team that doesn’t take very many penalties, you usually don’t get many power plays.”

He also explained that the star forward is constantly under the microscope thanks to his talent level.

“He (McDavid) puts up for way more; I don’t want to say for other team’s star players and what they put up with but he’s under the microscope every time he’s on the ice because he’s dangerous. Don’t give him room; give him another shot; hold him a little bit; tug on his jersey; get in his way; you know all those little things that maybe could be called penalties, maybe not. It’s a fine line. But I definitely believe he puts up more than an average player. “

The Oilers head coach then continued by saying that McDavid has to put up with more physical on-ice abuse thanks to his status as the NHL’s top player.

Connor McDavid already caused controversy earlier in the week

Oddly for McDavid, this wasn’t his only controversial on-ice infraction during the week.

Earlier in the week, he elbowed Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson in the head but escaped penalty. But Johansson didn’t escape injury; he left the game and was being evaluated for a concussion.

The Wild wasted no time in voicing their anger at the fact that not only was McDavid not penalized, but that there was no action from the NHL Department of Player Safety.

In fact, Wild head coach John Hynes refrained from speaking further on the matter because he admitted what he had to say would land him in trouble with the League.

It’s up to the NHL right now if their top star is going to face discipline further than his ejection from Saturday’s game.