Tyler Myers breaks silence on cross check on Evan Bouchard and suspension
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Much had been reported on the Tyler Myers crosscheck on Evan Bouchard during an Oilers - Canucks game back on January 18, and even more about the ensuing three-game suspension.
Now, the Vancouver Canucks defenseman speaks about the incident yet once more, after more than six months of silence, this time on a recent broadcast hosted by Andy Strickland.
"I initiated it, no question," Tyler Myers began when asked about the crosscheck on Evan Bouchard. "I did something on the wall... gave him a little shot, nothing bad, normal in a hockey game. Player skating at me. I don't know what going to happen, so I decided to get my hand up a little bit."
That decision cost Tyler Myers a three-game suspension, and a salary forfeit of $46,875.00 which, by the way, was added to the Player's Emergency Assistance Fund.
The crosscheck occurred during a scrum in the third-period of the January 18 game between Edmonton and Vancouver, whereby Myers crosschecked Evan Bouchard in the face. Yet, according to Tyler Myers, the infraction was not intended for the Oilers defenseman's face.
"I know how it looks. I never intended to hit him in the face. I've never crosschecked anyone in the face in my whole career," Tyler Myers insisted when interviewed post-game back in January, a point which he reiterated on a July 16 broadcast.
"I will defend myself. I'm going at his chest, his hands do go up my stick. I don't go look to crosscheck him in the face."
The referees, however, disagreed with Tyler Myers' assessment of the incident, and issued a match penalty, as per rule 21, wherein the player receives a major penalty and a game misconduct. The rule is intended to prevent repeated major penalties.
In addition to Tyler Myers, Connor McDavid was also suspended three-games for yet another crosscheck that happened during the same end-of-game scrum, this one to the the head of Vancouver's Conor Garland.
Tyler Myers, however, disagrees with the ensuing sanctions that were made by the NHL's Department of Player Safety.
"I think both suspensions that day were too much," Myers said. "I don't think either of them were what everyone made them out to be."
Though the intention in either players' case might not have been to injure, the act itself, among other considerations, is what the NHL looks at when issuing a player suspension. A player is meant to be in control of his stick at all times, in particular when it's above the shoulders, as per NHL rule 621, which emphasizes a player must be accountable for the path and position of their stick, and any contact they make with opponents.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 17 | 334 ANSWERS Tyler Myers breaks silence on cross check on Evan Bouchard and suspension Was Connor McDavid's suspension for crosschecking Conor Garland warranted? | ||
| yes | 92 | 27.5 % |
| no | 242 | 72.5 % |
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