NHL's hypocrisy towards the Detroit Red Wings exposed after a major suspension is set to be handed out
Photo credit: NHL
The Edmonton Oilers' Darnell Nurse got a pretty hefty penalty for cross-checking Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings. Why didn't Jamie Benn, or Matthieu Joseph receive the same discipline when they did the same thing to Dylan Larkin?
The NHL's bias shows often, as we saw Darnell Nurse cross-check Quinton Byfield last night. The cross-check would result in a penalty for the Oilers defenseman, which was a five-minute major and a game penalty.
The resulting discipline seems standard for the sort of "play" that occurred on the ice.
When tempers flare, sticks fly, and pain is dealt on the ice.
The inherent bias for some NHL teams is obvious as the Detroit Red Wings Captain Dylan Larkin never received the kind of respect that the Los Angeles Kings, and Quinton Byfield did there.
The incident that the "X" account Stone Cold Steve Yzerman describes happened in December 2023.
Larkin was standing near the goal, and would be pushed into the Senators forward, Parker Kelly, who'd also hit him on the way down to the ice.
Joseph and Kelly would be assessed roughing penalties, but nothing further as far as game misconduct or a 5-minute major.
"Benn said, obviously I would've liked to have not fallen on him and I guess use my stick as the landing point. Let me tell you right now. My text messages went aflame with people around the league, inside of teams, outside of teams. They said, 'Oh my God, what did he just say?'
Benn's cross-check in 2021 during the bubble would end Larkin's season. But Jamie Benn wouldn't receive so much as a slap on the wrist for injuring the Red Wings Captain.
I guess in the long run, George Parros has a double standard that doesn't work in the Red Wings or Larkin's favor as seen above.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 15 | 276 ANSWERS NHL's hypocrisy towards the Detroit Red Wings exposed after a major suspension is set to be handed out Do you think the NHL has a bias towards teams like the Edmonton Oilers instead of the Detroit Red Wings? | ||
| Yes | 219 | 79.3 % |
| No | 57 | 20.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
