No discipline expected for Edler after knee-on-knee hit on Oilers’ McDavid

Alexander Edler is not expected to face supplemental discipline for his knee-on-knee hit to Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.

Edler was assessed a kneeing minor on a hit to McDavid in the second period of a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night, a hit that drew the ire of many Oilers teammates in comments postgame.

“Obviously, I didn’t like the hit,” Oilers forward Zach Hyman told reporters after the loss. “Good on [Darnell Nurse] for jumping in there and sticking up for Connor. It’s one of those players where you beat a D and he stick a knee out. It’s a dangerous play.

“It happened to me. Same play. Same guy. So obviously not happy with it. I don’t know if he’s doing it intentionally or whatnot, but you just can’t be [doing] that.”

Edler landed the questionable collision with the captain three minutes into the second period, when McDavid was stood up at the blue line trying to enter the Kings’ zone. The Kings defender caught McDavid with a knee, prompting Nurse to drop the gloves and go after Edler.

Nurse was assessed a double minor for roughing on the play, and Edler caught a roughing penalty on top of his knee call for the infraction.

“If I’d knee someone like that, I would expect the other team to react the same way,” Nurse said. “It is what it is.”

The hit was similar to one Edler landed on Hyman, when Hyman was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021. Edler received a two-game suspension for the infraction.

“I thought it was a questionable hit. A questionable hit,” Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said postgame. “I’m sure they’ll take a look at it, past history and all that stuff. We see our captain take a hit like that, a teammate stepped up and took care of things.”