The Ottawa Senators came into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with very high expectations, even as they were forced into a matchup with the Eastern Conference No. 1 seed Carolina Hurricanes. Unsurprisingly, that series went as most expected, with the deeper, more balanced and talented 'Canes team running away with a four-game sweep, as the top seed did not trail for a single second in the series.
That doesn't mean that the Senators didn't put up a fight in that time, as all four games were decided by two goals or less, with games 2 and 3 both decided by one goal, including a double overtime thriller in Game 2.
However, most of their fight came when the series was already over, with the team getting into a melee in Game 4, with Ottawa's Ridly Greig right at the center of it all once again.
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Greig is no stranger to being at the center of the action and the controversy early in his young career, and this time, his actions have certainly cost him. With round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs now underway, the NHL's Department of Player Safety have officially made their ruling, suspending Greig for two games to start the 2026/27 regular season following his actions in a melee with Carolina.
The decision comes as Greig was spotted taking several cheap shots at Sean Walker, who was already tied up by one of Greig's Senators teammates, with the DoPS ruling this roughing and worthy of a two-game suspension.
In the grand scheme of things, a two-game suspension in the regular season isn't a massive deal, especially with the schedule shifting to 84 games in 2026/27, but given his action, the overwhelming response on social media is that this was a good call from the DoPS.
