NHL announces suspension for dirty play that occurred on Hurricanes' Sean Walker by Senators' Ridly Greig

The NHL’s 2-game suspension is not just a punishment. It is a lineup decision waiting for opening night.

Greig’s swing at Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker came in Game 4, with Ottawa’s 2026-27 season already slipping away and discipline becoming part of the story.

That matters for Green because Greig is not a spare forward. He is part of Ottawa’s identity: abrasive, annoying, emotional, and useful when he stays on the right side of the line.

Greig stepped into the scrum, loaded his right hand, and caught Walker while the Hurricanes defenseman was tied up.

Ottawa finished the regular season at 44-27-11, good for 99 points, but the margin in the Atlantic is too tight for self-inflicted lineup holes.

This is where the suspension becomes bigger than 2 games.

Green has to open next season without a player who can stir the bottom six, push pace, and drag opponents into uncomfortable shifts.

That creates a bench-management issue right away. Ottawa will need another forward to take those minutes without turning the lineup softer or messier.

The Senators also finished with a +32 goal differential, which says they were good enough to matter. That makes every early point more valuable, not less.

Greig’s game works when he forces opponents into bad choices. It hurts Ottawa when he becomes the bad choice.

That is the line Green and the locker room now have to tighten before puck drop next season.

This suspension will fade from the headlines quickly. But inside Ottawa, it should be treated as a warning, not just a receipt.