The NHL Department of Player Safety has called Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig for a hearing on roughing Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker. The punch happened during a scrum in Game 4, a 4-2 Senators loss that ended their first-round playoff series in a sweep. Greig addressed the play in media availability, while an insider pushes for a five-game suspension.
During the Ottawa Senators' 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of their first-round playoff matchup, forward Ridly Greig struck defenseman Sean Walker with a glove-on uppercut to the face. The incident unfolded at center ice, where Walker was engaged with Senators winger Warren Foegele. Greig approached from the side and delivered the blow while Walker's attention was elsewhere. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the hearing for roughing, with details on date and time still to be determined. Any suspension would apply to the start of the 2026-27 season, as Ottawa's campaign ended with the sweep. Greig spoke about the play during the team's year-end media availability. When asked by The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie about the hearing, he said, “There is a hearing this week or next week. There is no rush on it.” TSN’s Claire Hanna pressed for an explanation of the scrum, prompting Greig to reply, “I gotta do a better job of controlling my emotions. Yeah, that’s all I’ll say.” He clarified it was not targeted and stemmed from no earlier events in the game. On The Chris Johnston Show, NHL insider Chris Johnston advocated for a five-game suspension, the maximum for a hearing not held in person. “I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he gets 5 (games). I don’t see any grey in this one…I think the league needs to send a message here,” Johnston stated. He referenced past five-game penalties for Evgeni Malkin and Radko Gudas, contrasting a one-game ban given to Dylan Larkin in a similar retaliatory punch.