Ridly Greig of the Ottawa Senators is facing scrutiny from the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety following a controversial incident during Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes. The altercation occurred in the second period of the Senators' 4-2 loss at the Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday, which ended the series for Ottawa.
Incident Details
The trouble began when Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven delivered a hard hit on Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin, resulting in a concussion. During the ensuing scrum, Greig threw a sucker-punch at Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker while Walker was being restrained by Ottawa's Warren Foegele. The punch was not initially spotted by officials, allowing Greig to remain in the game.
Reaction from Hockey Community
The hockey world reacted with outrage. Kelly Hrudey of Hockey Night in Canada called the act "gutless and disgusting," adding, "That is so dirty for Ridly Greig. That's just awful." Hrudey praised Walker for later delivering retribution by hitting Greig from behind, stating, "I love that when a guy gets retribution. If you're going to do that, then you deserve that back."
Former Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa expressed mixed feelings, saying, "There has to be some honor in hockey. I don't know if I support the hitting from behind, either." Meanwhile, TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette called for a five-game suspension, describing the uppercut as "absolute BS."
Former Senators winger Nate Thompson weighed in on social media, writing, "Unfortunately for Ridly Greig, this will carry over for next season... That's the ultimate disrespect in hockey, what he did today, and he'll have to answer whether he likes it or not."
Hearing and Potential Suspension
Greig will have a hearing with NHL Player Safety, though not in person, meaning any suspension will be five games or fewer. The suspension will carry into the 2026-27 regular season, as the Senators' season has ended. Greig did shake hands with Hurricanes players after the game without further incident.
