Should refs be allowed to give penalties because a coach or player yelled at them?

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Does the media ask me about my work day? Is there a mass market? This is an entertainment business. The comparisons between this and a real job are laughable.

Oh I don't think they are.

You have no right to know what an NHL referee receives in terms of reprimands. They are not a part of the player's union.

According to Kerry Fraser:

Some might suggest if officials were subject to public game suspensions for missing an obvious call there wouldn't be enough personnel left to cover the games. The truth is there is a form of internal accountability currently in place.

Officials have been suspended for public conduct that was unbecoming a member of the profession and for failure to pass the required fitness test. On one occasion a lineman's playoff assignments were withheld pending a full investigation into a missing puck. Fines have been levied against many officials for misinterpreting a rule; present writer included. The amount of the fine can vary between $250 and $500 and is donated to a charity of the official's choice. A "one time" donation is usually sufficient for the official to become completely familiar with all the playing rules!

Officials are largely held accountable through a subjective internal evaluation system that is conducted by the Officiating Department to determine annual playoff selection. Considerable bonus money is available for each playoff round that an official is selected to work. In addition to the money, there is tremendous pride associated with being chosen for this honour.

Each official receives a midseason evaluation which often includes areas where improvement is expected. If an official's performance reviews are consistently sub-substandard he will be put on notice that he must bring his game up to the expected standard or be subject to termination. Specialized coaching should be provided to any official that might fall into this category!

Once a referee or linesman's season has concluded an exit meeting with the V.P. of Officiating or one of his designates is arranged to discuss the season in review and to provide suggestions moving forward.

While the success of any evaluation process hinges largely upon the competency of the personnel who conduct the reviews there is currently one in place intended to hold the officials accountable. It's just not done in the public arena.

 

[Sojourn]

Yes, the officials should be allowed to dish out penalties when the players, or coaches, are disrespectful and cross a line.

The issue with an NHL referee not, seemingly(I don't agree, and I think fans of every sport get frustrated with officiating), being accountable is another issue entirely. That isn't the responsibility of the players, or the coaches. The head of officiating, and the NHL itself, are the ones who the referees should be accountable to. Just because the officials have been frustrating doesn't give the players, or coaches, the right to verbally abuse them. For the record, it works the other way too. The officials can't verbally abuse the players or coaches.

 

[SoupGuru]

I don't think the refs call it enough, honestly. Any sort of curse word towards an official should be automatic. No one respects the refs. Letting coaches and players berate and abuse them isn't going to change that.

Do refs sometimes suck and blow calls? Sure. Screaming at him from the bench is not the way to handle that.

Let the refs do their job. Focus on doing your job. Yay.

 

[nyr2k2]

Neither do you. A couple seasons ago, AV got a bench minor for repeatedly trying to get the refs attention to explain a penalty and said ref got annoyed. You could see he never said anything, but that call directly led to a powerplay goal which won Calgary the game.

It's nonsense refs cannot be held accountable for anything in the NHL.

Do you know as fact that referees are not held accountable? Do you know the process within the department of officiating for reviewing games/individual calls/etc? They are absolutely held accountable, it's just very rarely visible to the public.

Regardless, I fail to see how allowing a coach to drop a bunch of f-bombs and personal insults on an official is holding the official accountable.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Oh I don't think they are.

You have no right to know what an NHL referee receives in terms of reprimands. They are not a part of the player's union.

According to Kerry Fraser:

Some might suggest if officials were subject to public game suspensions for missing an obvious call there wouldn't be enough personnel left to cover the games. The truth is there is a form of internal accountability currently in place.

Officials have been suspended for public conduct that was unbecoming a member of the profession and for failure to pass the required fitness test. On one occasion a lineman's playoff assignments were withheld pending a full investigation into a missing puck. Fines have been levied against many officials for misinterpreting a rule; present writer included. The amount of the fine can vary between $250 and $500 and is donated to a charity of the official's choice. A "one time" donation is usually sufficient for the official to become completely familiar with all the playing rules!

Officials are largely held accountable through a subjective internal evaluation system that is conducted by the Officiating Department to determine annual playoff selection. Considerable bonus money is available for each playoff round that an official is selected to work. In addition to the money, there is tremendous pride associated with being chosen for this honour.

Each official receives a midseason evaluation which often includes areas where improvement is expected. If an official's performance reviews are consistently sub-substandard he will be put on notice that he must bring his game up to the expected standard or be subject to termination. Specialized coaching should be provided to any official that might fall into this category!

Once a referee or linesman's season has concluded an exit meeting with the V.P. of Officiating or one of his designates is arranged to discuss the season in review and to provide suggestions moving forward.

While the success of any evaluation process hinges largely upon the competency of the personnel who conduct the reviews there is currently one in place intended to hold the officials accountable. It's just not done in the public arena.

They are apart of the brand name NHL, they should be fair game like the players when it comes to reporting their suspensions and or fines.

BTW, thanks for showing that. Interesting read.

 

[Stanley Foobrick]

Why is that? That ref lost credibility when he had a missed call that resulted in Nolan getting pissed off.

Because we don't know what was said.

 

[Sojourn]

Do you know as fact that referees are not held accountable? Do you know the process within the department of officiating for reviewing games/individual calls/etc?

Regardless, I fail to see how allowing a coach to drop a bunch of f-bombs and personal insults on an official is holding the official accountable.

It isn't. It's just venting frustrations and abusing the official. I don't understand why people seem to be suggesting that's accountability.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

The problem with allowing them to hand out penalties for "something that crosses the line" is that it is all subjective. It also could seem like a personal vendetta against a coach.

 

[Stanley Foobrick]

The problem with allowing them to hand out penalties for "something that crosses the line" is that it is all subjective. It also could seem like a personal vendetta against a coach.

Uhm, pretty much everything the refs do is subjective.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Because we don't know what was said.

Okay, but that doesnt explain why you should give the benefit of the doubt to the ref.

 

[Sojourn]

The problem with allowing them to hand out penalties for "something that crosses the line" is that it is all subjective. It also could seem like a personal vendetta against a coach.

Hooking is subjective too. That must mean they have a vendetta against a player.

Interference is subjective. More vendettas.

We must have Michael Corleone officiating.

 

[Helistin]

The problem with allowing them to hand out penalties for "something that crosses the line" is that it is all subjective. It also could seem like a personal vendetta against a coach.

So basically refs shouldn't be allowed to call any penalties in games since they all might be subjective?

 

[Sojourn]

Okay, but that doesnt explain why you should give the benefit of the doubt to the ref.

Because it's his job? He's a referee in a professional hockey league. His job is to follow the rules, and to be as objective as possible. That's just a tad different from the coach, who is paid to try to make sure his team wins.

 

[Stanley Foobrick]

Okay, but that doesnt explain why you should give the benefit of the doubt to the ref.

Yes it does. They have been given the authority to call the game, unless you can prove they made a mistake you have to give them the benefit of the doubt or just scrap the whole system and let the two teams play like we did as kids on the pond.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

So basically refs shouldn't be allowed to call any penalties in games since they all might be subjective?

Did I say that?

Strawman much?

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

The problem with allowing them to hand out penalties for "something that crosses the line" is that it is all subjective. It also could seem like a personal vendetta against a coach.

A ref who had a personal vendetta against a coach would not be in the NHL very long.

I get the feeling you have no idea how much training and experience these officials have. They are not weekend warriors doing pee wee games. This is their profession.

I am going to totally side with officials on this one. I was an official. The highest I got was doing lines for Junior A (had my Level 4). I worked with and knew a couple of guys who went onto the NHL, and they officiated as a career (I was not looking to take it that far, nor was I fit enough lol).

They make mistakes, but they take their careers deadly serious. They are not going to piss it away because they are mad or hurt by a mean comment.

 

[Helistin]

Did I say that?

Strawman much?

Nope. But carry on.

 

[Sojourn]

Did I say that?

Strawman much?

You questioned an official making a call because it's subjective... you strongly implied it, yes. If you have an issue with one call because it's subjective, you can logically conclude that other subjective calls would be an issue as well.

 

[TheGooooch]

They absolutely should be able to call that. There needs to be a line of respect. Simple

 

[Roomtemperature]

1) How is yelling and swearing at the refs by the coaches or players keeping them accountable?

2) Why would the NHL want to employ crappy refs in the first place? What benefit would it be to the league as a whole to not employ the best of the best?

 

[nyr2k2]

1) How is yelling and swearing at the refs by the coaches or players keeping them accountable?

2) Why would the NHL want to employ crappy refs in the first place? What benefit would it be to the league as a whole to not employ the best of the best?

1) It's not, at all. It just makes people feel better to yell and scream when they feel they've been wronged. It does nothing for accountability though.

2) They wouldn't. The NHL referees are good at their jobs. Fans in all sports think refs are terrible. It just comes with the territory. However, they do as good of a job as a human being can do.

 

[Roomtemperature]

1) It's not, at all. It just makes people feel better to yell and scream when they feel they've been wronged. It does nothing for accountability though.

2) They wouldn't. The NHL referees are good at their jobs. Fans in all sports think refs are terrible. It just comes with the territory. However, they do as good of a job as a human being can do.

Exactly but it would have been fun to see someone who thinks that try and explain it to me.

 

[FLYLine27*]

I'm sure that's why the ref gave Nolan a penalty, he cares about the integrity of the league. How professional is it when a ref ****s up and then adds to that by giving a penalty to the coach. I think that's way more unprofessional than a coach yelling at a ref in an emotional game because his team got screwed.

That's not what I implied.

If it happens EVERY time a penalty is called or a missed penalty isn't called it would be embarrassing to the league if all you hear was F bombs to the refs. Anyway, I think pretty much everyone has disagreed with your logic so. Its about keeping the professionalism in the game. Refs make mistakes, it happens in every single sport, they dont allow them to curse the refs out either.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Does the media ask me about my work day? Is there a mass market? This is an entertainment business. The comparisons between this and a real job are laughable.

To be fair, the media does not talk to the refs either or get in their business. For obvious reasons.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

That's not what I implied.

If it happens EVERY time a penalty is called or a missed penalty isn't called it would be embarrassing to the league if all you hear was F bombs to the refs. Anyway, I think pretty much everyone has disagreed with your logic so.

I remember reading their is a missed penalty every play of the game. So no one expects them to be perfect, but what Nolan got pissed at everyone saw happen, some how everyone except the refs.

Hell, Brassard saw it and pointed it out but then scored right after.

Also, f bombs are dropped through out the game man. If the league is worried about embarrassment, they have a lot more to worry about than language.