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Canucks’ Carson Soucy Suspended for One Playoff Game

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Jim Parsons | Last updated 5/13/24

Vancouver’s Carson Soucy has been suspended for one playoff game for cross-checking Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. The NHL Department of Player Safety held their hearing with Soucy on Monday afternoon and released a video explaining their decision later in the day. Soucy will sit Game 4 for the Canucks on Tuesday night, as a result.

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 video explains that this was not a hockey play and happened well after the play had finished. Both McDavid and Soucy were guilty of slashes, that the NHL DoPS seemed to suggest was part of a typical heated hockey exchange. That said, Soucy’s forceful two-hand cross-check to McDavid was not part of that acceptable exchange.

They did allow some leniency for the fact that Nikita Zadorov‘s cross-check changed McDavid’s positioning, which could have contributed to Soucy catching McDavid in the face.

Soucy told the media he offered his side and that the hit to McDavid’s face was no intentional. That was beyond the point as it was malicious. The fact McDavid wasn’t injured is likely why this was only given a one-playoff-game suspension.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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