The verdict is in, and Kings' Adrian Kempe will not be a happy man, as he has just received the maximum allowable punishment from the DOPS. If any game this season encapsulated the physicality for which the NHL is historically known, it was <a href='https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/edmonton-oilers-connor-mcdavid-slew-foot-los-angeles-kings-adrian-kempe' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the Edmonton Oilers 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings</a> on Monday night, a contest that seemed almost to be designed in a laboratory to amplify that perception. The game's most controversial moment came at 11:29 of the third period when Edmonton's star forward, Connor McDavid, took the puck into the Kings' zone. As he tried to elude defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, McDavid spun back along the boards and deftly passed the puck to a teammate. <a href='https://www.nhl.com/oilers/player/connor-mcdavid-8478402' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>McDavid</a> checked up, and Gavrikov and L.A.'s top-line forward Adrian Kempe converged. Seconds later, Kempe leveled McDavid with a heavy elbow, sending him into the boards. To add insult to injury, Kempe upended McDavid with a leg sweep that took his feet out from under him and sent the Oilers captain tumbling hard on the ice. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/larsthorsell/status/1879226100234276994'> </a></blockquote></div> In the end, there was no call on the play surprisingly, which left frustrated Oilers fans questioning the officiating. <h3>Adrian Kempe receives a $5,000 fine</h3> But the Department of Player Safety intervened today, penalizing Adrian Kempe with <a href='https://www.nhl.com/news/adrian-kempe-fined-5000-for-slew-footing-connor-mcdavid' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>a $5,000 fine for his actions</a>, which is the maximum allowable. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/nhlplayersafety/status/1879271351724507576'> </a></blockquote></div> The incident reopened discussions about player safety and the league's response to the dangerous plays of its marquee players. Although the Oilers won, the controversial sequence highlighted the difficulties in striking a balance between the NHL's physical tradition and the need to protect players in a fast, physical game.