The McDavid penalty debate continues

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A couple of months ago, Edmonton Oilers fans were up in arms about the rate at which Connor McDavid was drawing penalties. It’s been a hot topic since he’s entered in the league: How does the most game-breaking talent in hockey draw so few penalties relative to what’s observable on the ice, and how can the NHL justify it?

The debate has never abated, in large part because the NHL has never sought resolution for the issue. Right or wrong, game management and the prioritization of game flow run counter to calling the NHL rulebook. If you haven’t read through the NHL rulebook recently, I encourage you to do so. It’s so far removed from the reality of where the sport is right now that it almost feels like it’s intended for a different league.

So, why talk about McDavid and penalties now? Since the ugliness of a few months ago, McDavid has been drawing penalties at a blistering pace.

He has drawn seven penalties in the past six games, which is more than Alexander Ovechkin has drawn all season, and twice as many as Steven Stamkos has drawn this year. Ovechkin and Stamkos are fundamentally different players, but you get an idea of how significant the gap is.

This isn’t the first time we have seen a rip to the upside for McDavid and drawn penalties. In fact, it’s been a story of his entire career. The groans over officiating and game management have increased year over year since McDavid entered the league, and he’s become the test case for what the NHL is getting wrong.

There are many things, including randomness, you could attribute to the below graph. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable to wonder if the NHL is sensitive to public chatter about McDavid (and its officiating strategy, more broadly). Because