Gazdic just doing what he is supposed to do and say. That is the only reason he is in the NHL.
With that being said, I don't think the Flames ease up on McDavid. I hope that nobody in a Flames' uniform ever plays a dirty game - especially hits that are blatant intent to injure (ala Cooke, Marchment, etc) - but if the opportunity presents itself to nail McDavid with a nice clean hit that knocks him on his butt, I doubt Gazdic's comments will be on the minds of anyone with that opportunity.
What should happen is that other guys on the ice with McDavid will rush in and try to stick up for him, and the game becomes chippy and then you see a Gazdic - Engelland fight, followed by more chippiness and other fights.
What will probably happen is exactly what happened last year when Draisaitl was clobbered, and the rest of the players on the ice looked like a bunch of deer caught in headlights too afraid to do anything at all.
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