Jack McBain's hit from behind on Leon Draisaitl near the boards has Oilers fans furious after Utah's 4-2 win in Edmonton.
Fans couldn't understand how the play wasn't a five-minute major. One Oilers supporter said the league lets opponents go after Edmonton's stars “and do nothing.”
The hit came along the boards, from behind, on one of the league's biggest stars. Those are exactly the factors the Department of Player Safety looks at closely.
There's an ironic twist. McBain is the same player who dropped the gloves with Will Cuylle earlier this month, after Cuylle's hit from behind on Dylan Guenther.
Draisaitl has 12 points in seven games and a +11, and he carries a $14,000,000 cap hit. Edmonton can't afford to see him exposed to plays like that.
There was no word on any injury after the game. The Oilers will be hoping it stays that way.
Department of Player Safety faces another hit from behind on a star
The league is supposed to protect every player the same way. Still, hits on stars always draw more attention, whether that's fair or not.
McBain, 26, carries a $4,250,000 cap hit and has two points this season. Any previous history will factor into whatever the league decides.
Utah improved to 6-2-0 with the win, while Edmonton fell to 5-1-1 with its first regulation loss of the season.
It deserves a review, and a fine at minimum. A hit from behind near the boards is exactly the play the league says it wants gone, no matter whose name is on the sweater.
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Calling it lightly would be like a playground monitor who only blows the whistle when the principal is watching.
The rematch comes Saturday in Utah, and the Oilers will remember this one.
Fans want a suspension. The league's call will show whether the rule protects everyone equally, or only when the cameras are rolling.
Should Jack McBain be suspended for his hit on Leon Draisaitl?
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