Senators’ Greig to have hearing for sucker punch on Hurricanes’ Walker
Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig will have a hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety in relation to his actions against Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker in Saturday’s playoff game.
Greig, 23, was involved in a miniature line brawl along with his Senators teammates at the 9:50 mark of the second period in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Hurricanes at the Canadian Tire Centre.
As the fighting and shoving became more intense, Greig watched as Walker and Warren Foegele split away from the main group of players and officials. With Walker focused on Fogele and otherwise unable to defend himself, Greig aimed a gloved punch directly at his head.
Greig was not assessed a penalty for his role in the scrum, but the Department of Player Safety confirmed on Sunday that the Lethbridge, Alta. product will attend a hearing to determine whether supplemental discipline is warranted for his actions.
CHAOS IN OTTAWA 🫨
The Hurricanes ultimately won Saturday’s game by a 4-2 final score, with Sebastian Aho recording a pair of empty-net goals in the third period to seal the victory. The Senators failed to win a game or even take a single lead in their series against the Hurricanes, which marked their first time being swept in the first round since 2008.
Now that the Senators have been eliminated, if Greig is suspended for his punch on Walker, his punishment will carry over into the start of the 2026-27 season. The Department of Player Safety could choose to suspend him for preseason or regular-season games, depending on how severe they judge the infraction to be.
The Senators originally selected Greig in the first round (No. 28 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, using a pick they acquired from the New York Islanders in exchange for Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The 6′ center has established himself as both a solid middle-six forward and a renowned pest through his young career with the Senators, racking up 41 goals, 104 points, and 221 penalty minutes over 247 games.