Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid was issued a three-game suspension by the NHL on Monday for a cross-check to the head of the Vancouver Canucks’ Conor Garland.

McDavid had a meeting with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Monday, and the league announced his suspension shortly after.

In the waning moments of the Oilers’ 3-2 loss to the Canucks on Saturday, McDavid and Garland became tangled, then shoved each other for several seconds. Once both players were back on their feet, McDavid struck Garland in the side of the head with the shaft of his stick, eliciting a match penalty for intent to injure.

The wrestling match between McDavid and Garland sparked a scrum with every player on the ice at the time. Vancouver’s Tyler Meyers, who was also ejected for cross-checking, received a matching three-game suspension. Every other player in the scrum received minor penalties but faced no league action.

Connor McDavid has been suspended for three games for cross-checking Conor Garland. pic.twitter.com/eDLhaCouCD

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 20, 2025

The suspension, the second of McDavid’s career, will cost the three-time Hart Trophy winner $200,000 in salary.

Among the games McDavid will miss is a rematch with the Canucks on Thursday. He will be eligible to return next Monday against the Seattle Kraken.

McDavid, who has 20 goals and 45 assists this season, has led the NHL in points in five of his first nine seasons. He led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, which ended in a Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers.

Despite the loss, McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the post-season.