Fans pile on McDavid for 'whiny' comments following near-injury scare

Connor McDavid is facing a wave of criticism online after his postgame comments about a collision in the first period of Edmonton’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

McDavid was hit while driving hard to the net early in the game, a play replayed widely on social media. Speaking to reporters afterward, the Oilers captain didn’t hold back. “It’s a play that’s close to home for me,” he said. “Those are dangerous plays, in my opinion.”

Saying he doesn’t understand why the net isn’t treated the same way as the end boards, he believes Drew Helleson‘s play was intentional. “Yeah, obviously it’s a play that you know is, I guess, a little sensitive to me. Those are plays that I’ve been really, really hurt on before. You know, going into the end wall, going into the net- those types of plays are, I find, dangerous. And obviously, I didn’t love it.” He added, “I don’t think anyone really knows what it’s like to go into the net Mach 1… It’s a situation I find myself a lot in.”

Fans Calling Out McDavid

In Edmonton, many people were upset with Helleson and believed he had the beating Vasily Podkolzin gave him coming. Outside of Edmonton, the reaction from fans was swift and largely unsympathetic.

Many argued that the contact was routine for a player who regularly attacks the crease at high speed. One user wrote that McDavid “cuts hard to the net with reckless abandon nearly every game,” adding that a hit like this was bound to happen. Others sarcastically suggested defenders should simply let the league’s best player skate through untouched. “Maybe don’t go Mach 1 into areas you can get hurt in?”, wrote one fan. Another added, “Just because you’re fast and the best player ever. Doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want…”