The Oilers captain was given a major penalty in the dying seconds of the team’s 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. This was due to McDavid cross-checking Canucks forward Conor Garland in the head following a lengthy battle between the two in the middle of the Vancouver zone.

The incident occurred after McDavid and Garland became entangled in the high slot for about 15 seconds. Frustration boiled over as McDavid wrestled free and delivered a "brutal cross-check," as described by one of the Sportsnet game announcers, that struck Garland in the head, sending him to the ice.

This is not the first time that McDavid has faced disciplinary action. He served a two-game suspension in February 2019 for a hit to the head on then-New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy. Additionally, he was fined $5,000 in March 2021.