Toronto Hockey Writer Has Baffling Take On Zach Hyman-Charlie McAvoy Hit

Damien Cox is a man of questionable sports takes.

During the summer, the Toronto-based sports writer said Alex Ovechkin should act more like a tennis player when celebrating the Washington Capitals’ Stanley Cup victory. It was a really, really bad take.

And then Saturday night, Cox actually suggested that Zach Hyman’s hit on Charlie McAvoy was “nearly equal” to McAvoy’s hit on Mitch Marner in the first period of the Boston Bruin’s 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. McAvoy was given a cross-checking penalty for his hit on Marner, while Hyman was handed game misconduct for the egregiously cheap hit on McAvoy, who was playing in just his second game back after missing 20 contests with a concussion.

Sounds about right. A half-second late. You’d also have to wonder about McAvoy hit from behind on Marner first shift of the game. Who knows these days? https://t.co/RwiPh3nxpV

— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) December 9, 2018

McAvoy hit on Marner early as dangerous as Hyman hit on McAvoy, but McAvoy got only a minor (Marner got up) while Hyman got a major (McAvoy didn’t get up). And that, ladies and gentlemen, is confusing NHL officiating in a nutshell.

— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) December 9, 2018

For what it’s worth, the NHL Department of Player Safety reportedly is reviewing Hyman’s hit.

(You can click here to watch McAvoy’s hit on Marner.)

(And you can click here to watch the Hyman hit.)

Now, we’re not saying that McAvoy’s hit on Marner didn’t deserve a penalty. The Bruins defenseman definitely cross-checked the Leafs’ winger, though you could make the case that Marner flopped.

But it’s a big stretch to say the two hits were even close to equal. One was a borderline penalty that probably featured some embellishment, while the other was a late, blindside clean-out of a player who’s been struggling with concussion issues.

You keep doing you, Damien.