NHL Player Safety makes decision on Moore's low hit against Desharnais

Late in last night's game one between the Oilers and Kings, tensions boiled over late as the Kings started taking cheap shots while out of the game.

Forward Trevor Moore delivered a dirty low-blow to Vincent Desharnais, and plenty of Oilers fans were calling for Moore to be suspended. Early this afternoon, the NHL made public that Moore will not receive any supplemental discipline for the hit.


Moore went after Desharnais in the third period, skating at him from behind and taking him out from below the waist - also considering a big size mismatch between the two players. Desharnais got up in obvious pain on the play, and it looked like a clear intent to injure by taking out the defender's legs. Thankfully, Desharnais was able to remain in the game and is expected to play again tomorrow.



Moore's hit was incredibly similar to one thrown by former Oiler Josh Archibald a few years ago in the Covid season. For the same hit, Archibald was suspended a reasonable one game. Player Safety should have at least pursued a one game suspension, but to let Moore go without even a fine is an egregious miss by George Parros and the NHL.



In the playoffs the referees and player safety is known to move more lenient with physical plays - but this wasn't a hockey play. It was a direct attack on Desharnais with intent to injure, and should have been addressed by the league as such. Now, we'll have to see if the Oilers take justice into their own hands tomorrow night.