NHL Referees Like Even things up (538 Sports Article)

[Ralph Spoilsport]

In theory, I agree. In practice? Eh.

If refs are in it for the approval of the fans, then they are definitely in the wrong line of work! When's the last time a hockey crowd cheered a ref? They get nothing but abuse!

They must be masochists.

 

[Doctor No]

If refs are in it for the approval of the fans, then they are definitely in the wrong line of work! When's the last time a hockey crowd cheered a ref? They get nothing but abuse!

They must be masochists.

That's orthogonal to what I'm arguing.

 

[Ralph Spoilsport]

Your argument was "Eh", so excuse my orthogonality!

No worries though.


Come to think of it, refs do draw applause on occasion...when the home crowd is desperate for a power play, or feels they are "owed", they see the arm go up and they go wild. So it does happen. Maybe some refs really are motivated by the rush that brings, the ego boost outweighing their better judgement.

 

[Doctor No]

Fair enough.

 

[SillyRabbit]

So then,

Why don't we?

Maybe is it because the players, coaches, and GM's realize this?

Maybe they realize there is no ref bias, and it's only created by fans?

Worked pretty well for the Bruins and Kings.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Worked pretty well for the Bruins and Kings.

So, 2 out of 28 teams were successful...you would think that if it was so effective like you say it is, the success rate would be higher...

 

[hatterson]

So, 2 out of 28 teams were successful...you would think that if it was so effective like you say it is, the success rate would be higher...

Compare hockey in 2005 to hockey in 2015 and tell me that all 30 teams don't obstruct and interfere more.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Compare hockey in 2005 to hockey in 2015 and tell me that all 30 teams don't obstruct and interfere more.

Compare hockey from 1975 to 2015 and tell me who does it more......

Not exactly the point that I was rebutting....was it?

 

[hatterson]

Compare hockey from 1975 to 2015 and tell me who does it more......

Not exactly the point that I was rebutting....was it?

The point was that all 30 teams do it, it's not just the Bruins and the Kings.

Either way, I'll more directly respond to it.

No, the study does not automatically suggest that playing on the edge will make you come out on top. It does not say that refs always even up the penalties, simply that they have a statistically significantly higher chance of calling it on the team with fewer penalties. A simple glance at the stats page will tell us that some teams get called for a good amount more penalties than their opposition, clearly they don't get "evened up"

In addition, the assumption that if you change your style of play significantly the underlying penalty numbers will hold seems flawed to me. The numbers show that under current conditions the team with fewer penalties is much more likely to be called for the next penalty, they don't really give us info on what would happen if conditions change.

 

[Trinstin]

I saw this and figured it out by the time I was 12... back in 1998... Don't give a two ***** if an article says something along those lines either. I KNOW they do this because I've watched enough hockey to figure it out and anyone else who has will agree with me.

 

[xxgt465xx]

I saw this and figured it out by the time I was 12... back in 1998... Don't give a two ***** if an article says something along those lines either. I KNOW they do this because I've watched enough hockey to figure it out and anyone else who has will agree with me.

Generally, statistical analysis is better than your opinion. This is why I posted the article though, to show that we are most likely right.

 

[edog37]

Nothing maddens me more so in hockey than this notion of evening up calls. That's kid league crap. If a team doesn't like to get called, then stop taking penalties. I have never understood why any team feels they are "owed" calls just because they got called. I would have no problem if during a game, one team who had an off night, got call after call against them while the other who played great received none. Why should the good team who came to play be penalized for just being better? Not to mention, it creates a ton of whininess from the other teams that they aren't getting their fair share.

 

[stealth1]

The worst for me is when a team is up by 3 or 4 goals, the refs always seem to look for a penalty on the team in the lead. Its feels like the refs subconsciously want the trailing team to get back in the game. I wouldn't be surprised they are told to call games that way from head office. Closer scores are better for the league.

 

[BogsDiamond]

It's human nature to swallow the whistle.
I believe they did studies on baseball umpires and they too were hesitant to call a 3rd strike in certain situations.

Human's rarely like to stand out and make unpopular decisions.

But I have to believe that NHL referee's are the worst for it.

Way too many times in these playoffs I've seen obvious infractions go uncalled.
I absolutely hate how once the Stanley Cup finals begin, it becomes a war of the "Joe's".
Star players take a backseat to 3rd and 4th line grinders simply because the stars can't do anything without a stick, arm or bodies wrapped around them.
It brings everything down to the same level as the untalented scrub.

If officials are so hesitant to call the game as it's written in the rule books, then maybe the NHL can save itself a few thousand dollars by only having linesmen out there?
There are too many nights where they seem to be the only ones that are doing their job.

 

[BogsDiamond]

Nothing maddens me more so in hockey than this notion of evening up calls. That's kid league crap. If a team doesn't like to get called, then stop taking penalties. I have never understood why any team feels they are "owed" calls just because they got called. I would have no problem if during a game, one team who had an off night, got call after call against them while the other who played great received none. Why should the good team who came to play be penalized for just being better? Not to mention, it creates a ton of whininess from the other teams that they aren't getting their fair share.

Totally agree.
But the NHL is basically a 'Kiss your Sister League' or "Everyone Gets a Participation Medal" organization.

From even PP opportunity's to the 3rd point, to the travel schedule (ever notice how a great team almost always plays a crap team in it's 3rd game in 4 nights?) - Everything has to be leveled out.

Heck, even off-ice crap like the Devils getting their 1st rounder back for circumventing the cap?
Or how about the time the Ducks got off Scott-free when Neidermeyer took half a year off and rejoined the team in January?
There are rules and violations against that but those were overlooked because Burke is a buddy of the NHL's front office.

The NHL is run like a college buddies hockey pool. All the 'owners' are close friends so when Phil's team sucks, rules are bent in order to give him some help.

I would love to see how the NHL would look if every call was made. Or the 3rd point was eliminated.
Or teams actually had to play by the rules.

I love the sport of hockey, but it's hard to love it when the 'top' representation of it sucks so hard.
The biggest problem with the NHL is that it's being run by old hockey dinosaurs.
Most of these guys are morons who have no clue what the fans want or how the sport should really look like.

 

[edog37]

Totally agree.
But the NHL is basically a 'Kiss your Sister League' or "Everyone Gets a Participation Medal" organization.

From even PP opportunity's to the 3rd point, to the travel schedule (ever notice how a great team almost always plays a crap team in it's 3rd game in 4 nights?) - Everything has to be leveled out.

Heck, even off-ice crap like the Devils getting their 1st rounder back for circumventing the cap?
Or how about the time the Ducks got off Scott-free when Neidermeyer took half a year off and rejoined the team in January?
There are rules and violations against that but those were overlooked because Burke is a buddy of the NHL's front office.

The NHL is run like a college buddies hockey pool. All the 'owners' are close friends so when Phil's team sucks, rules are bent in order to give him some help.

I would love to see how the NHL would look if every call was made. Or the 3rd point was eliminated.
Or teams actually had to play by the rules.

I love the sport of hockey, but it's hard to love it when the 'top' representation of it sucks so hard.
The biggest problem with the NHL is that it's being run by old hockey dinosaurs.
Most of these guys are morons who have no clue what the fans want or how the sport should really look like.

If the league actually became more professional in how it was run, it would probably become more popular overall. You're right, it's an old-boys network. This is the only sports league I know that actually values its "grit guys" over its stars.

We are in violent agreement overall in all the points you brought out. Get rid of the 3rd point (make it real simple, winner takes all--two points for a win, 0 for a loss, keep playing until the game is decided), you circumvent the gap, you get punched in the face (if you happen to have 2 first round picks, you lose both). By making it all or nothing, you actually improve the quality of the game. Teams won't sit back anymore as they will be forced to do more than mail it in. I would also cut the number of regular season games down to 70 to keep guys fresher for the playoffs.

 

[hatterson]

If the league actually became more professional in how it was run, it would probably become more popular overall. You're right, it's an old-boys network. This is the only sports league I know that actually values its "grit guys" over its stars.

We are in violent agreement overall in all the points you brought out. Get rid of the 3rd point (make it real simple, winner takes all--two points for a win, 0 for a loss, keep playing until the game is decided), you circumvent the gap, you get punched in the face (if you happen to have 2 first round picks, you lose both). By making it all or nothing, you actually improve the quality of the game. Teams won't sit back anymore as they will be forced to do more than mail it in. I would also cut the number of regular season games down to 70 to keep guys fresher for the playoffs.

You've managed to come up with a proposal that all three major groups (Players, Owners, and Management) would hate. So I guess that's something.

 

[tinyzombies]

They should let referees look at replays to confirm calls.