With all the criticism about the officiating I'd like to clearly point out the issue I have with it

[Orfieus]

My problem with how the NHL officiates their games comes down to two words, game management

I'm a Leaf fan and even I can't believe this wasn't called,



Not only does the player with the puck get tripped (meaning there is at least one official watching what is happening) the trip resulted in Toronto taking over puck control and finishing off the power play.

There is no excuse for why this wasn't called a trip, not one, other than "game management" and frankly I am getting so f***ing sick of it. I didn't think this game was badly reffed overall (not even close to last year Game 2 between Toronto and Boston which I firmly believe is the worst reffed game I've ever seen) but it perfectly shows how refs are determining the outcome of games.

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[CascadiaPuck]

It does suck that the standard for a penalty can change based on:
- the score in the game
- the relative number of penalties in a game (“make up calls”)
- the time left in the game (mid-1st period vs. final minutes of the 3rd)
- the time of year (mid regular season vs. playoffs)

The last one is particularly crummy. You can’t expect perfection - or anything close to it, to be honest. But you should be able to view a play in isolation and have some idea of whether it’s a penalty. If you see a clip now of heavy stick work or obstruction, the first thing you need to ask in determining if it’s a penalty is whether the clip is from October or May.

 

[LivingRentFree]

That game was very poorly reffed in general. The call on Holl, Ennis was tripped by his own guy. The “holding” call on Dermott he didn’t even take his hands off his own stick. Oh and to top it off, the ref got in the way of the puck and directly caused Ottawa’s first goal.

 

[Mez]

they got to call blatant stuff like this 100% of the time...very annoying.

 

[Butch 19]

good non-call

 

[swimmer77]

I am not commenting anymore on these plays until I can see exactly what the ref(s) was looking at.

 

[Satire]

I don't think anyone likes the way refs officiate the games. Game Management is totally a thing but if you want to make an argument it is good for business I totally disagree. I think fans would rather lose a fairly called game than deal with constantly being angered by the Mickey Mouse reffing the NHL does right now.

How is that good for the product? You lose because you deserved to lose. You win because you deserve to win. The rules should be enforced black and white. If a team gets blown out because they suck too much not to commit infractions THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM.

 

[StreetHawk]

I don't think anyone likes the way refs officiate the games. Game Management is totally a thing but if you want to make an argument it is good for business I totally disagree. I think fans would rather lose a fairly called game than deal with constantly being angered by the Mickey Mouse reffing the NHL does right now.

How is that good for the product? You lose because you deserved to lose. You win because you deserve to win. The rules should be enforced black and white. If a team gets blown out because they suck too much not to commit infractions THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM.

So you’d be completely comfortable watching a game with 6/7 PP opportunities per team according to the rules of the game?

so no complaining about flow of the game if the refs do that?

That’s probably what the refs have to weigh. That’s why the first couple of calls or non calls in the game matter so much. Set the standard. But there are games where the players are constantly committing fouls and you have to call them thus it becomes a PP fest of a game.

 

[4thTierSport]

So you’d be completely comfortable watching a game with 6/7 PP opportunities per team according to the rules of the game?

so no complaining about flow of the game if the refs do that?

That’s probably what the refs have to weigh. That’s why the first couple of calls or non calls in the game matter so much. Set the standard. But there are games where the players are constantly committing fouls and you have to call them thus it becomes a PP fest of a game.

There is a standard before the game even starts; the rulebook. Consistently call the game and then players will adapt.

 

[Satire]

There is a standard before the game even starts; the rulebook. Consistently call the game and then players will adapt.

^ This. Players will do whatever they think will give their team the best chance to win. I think most would appreciate the consistency.

If the rules are too strict for what the game should offer then change them.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Ever since gambling became more widely legal, officiating in all sports has gotten worse hmm....

 

[admiralcadillac]

My problem with how the NHL officiates their games comes down to two words, game management

I'm a Leaf fan and even I can't believe this wasn't called,



Not only does the player with the puck get tripped (meaning there is at least one official watching what is happening) the trip resulted in Toronto taking over puck control and finishing off the power play.

There is no excuse for why this wasn't called a trip, not one, other than "game management" and frankly I am getting so ****ing sick of it. I didn't think this game was badly reffed overall (not even close to last year Game 2 between Toronto and Boston which I firmly believe is the worst reffed game I've ever seen) but it perfectly shows how refs are determining the outcome of games.

Holy shit that's bad

 

[Orfieus]

Holy **** that's bad

lol, that's why I made the thread

 

[LudwigVonKarlsson]

I remember watching this game the other day being upset about this missed call but then I realized the NHL’s a joke and this happens all the time.

 

[Emerz]

It's obvious that refs have been given a mandate by higher up executives to keep games close, which is unfortunate because it rewards worse teams instead of just letting the talent/chemistry of the players decide the game.

Artificial parity is what I like to call it, they want to keep damn near every team in the playoff hunt via the tie point.

 

[Love]

So you’d be completely comfortable watching a game with 6/7 PP opportunities per team according to the rules of the game?

so no complaining about flow of the game if the refs do that?

That’s probably what the refs have to weigh. That’s why the first couple of calls or non calls in the game matter so much. Set the standard. But there are games where the players are constantly committing fouls and you have to call them thus it becomes a PP fest of a game.

Wow what a ridiculous post. YES it’s ok to have 6 or 7 PP opportunities per team every game because guess what? Once that starts happening the players start to change how they defend in an attempt to stop taking penalties all the time and the game opens up.

The first couple calls or non calls as you put it really shouldn’t be any different than the 10th or 20th call. That’s the whole point. Holding is holding whether it’s November, May, pre season, or Stanley Cup Final. If your team has taken 17 penalties and the other team has taken zero guess what? Holding is still holding it that scenario too.

 

[admiralcadillac]

It's obvious that refs have been given a mandate by higher up executives to keep games close, which is unfortunate because it rewards worse teams instead of just letting the talent/chemistry of the players decide the game.

Artificial parity is what I like to call it, they want to keep damn near every team in the playoff hunt via the tie point.

That doesn’t make sense in the context of this thread. The non-call allowed Toronto to win.

 

[Svechhammer]

My problem is the complete and utter lack of consistency. You'll see the same play called two different ways at different times of the game. Sometimes it seems like they're so hell bent on getting it right in regards to 'game management' that they completely botch the obvious stuff only to suddenly have a revelation that they need to call it later.

Just call it the same way.

 

[McJazz]

Absolutely Awful.

This non-call on Svechnikov is another ridiculous example. They were literally inches away from winning the game because of it.

 

[wgknestrick]

I love all the (insert choice word here) claiming PPs "slow the game down" as if teams and players will continue to commit real penalties that greatly reduce their chance to win games.

Things that slow the game down?

Defenders holding a puck carrier
Defenders hooking a puck carrier
Defenders tripping a puck carrier
Defenders slashing a puck carriers stick in half
Team having to replace their best superstar player with their worst player due to injury from boarding/elbow/head-shot

I mean, sure, 5min of back and forth, 5v5, NZ, dead puck era play is great and all. Imagine if we could have 2min of super high goal scoring rate hockey if someone broke the rules? So boring and slow with all those goal highlights to watch.

Just get the game over with as fast as possible with only 1 goal scored so we can get back to my boring life ASAP. Why even watch hockey if this is how you feel?

 

[Tripod]

Wow....after last nights GDT I thought the Leafs only got screwed by the refs. I guess they GET CALLS TOO.

 

[SotasicA]

Game management means plays are never looked at in a vacuum. A team that constantly walks the line may get warned by the ref to stop doing that, and eventually get called after a play that may not have been blatant, but because things have added up. "Stop doing that, Brad, stop doing it, I'll call you", refs never want to call a penalty.

A team may get away with one if power plays are favouring the other team, yet that other team is constantly doing a little stickwork/interference.

To the untrained eye, and to people who never reffed, it may seem like there are double standards or that there are makeup calls, but in fact the ref might just be trying to make the penalties match the number of infractions without having to call 40 penalties and making himself the star of the game.

The refs should answer to the players, not to the fans watching, and communication is key as to whether the players find the refereeing good. Most nights most players are happy with it. Fans are never happy.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Yeah, it's the game management BS that sucks. Team is trailing and has had less PPs? Congratulations, you can get away with murder, but every stick check the other team performs will be called slashing! Blatant penalty by a team that's already shorthanded? No call 9 times out of 10, unless it's a delay of game penalty. Just call the game. If one team gets 14 PIMs and the other 2, so be it.

 

[Leafs87]

My problem is how untouchable they are. They can harass players, make awful calls and change the outcome of the game by making a bonehead call to change momentum. If any coach or player speaks up and even if they are right they get a fine or penalty

the penalty the refs called last night against the leafs was an awful one that changed the outcome of the game

 

[DarthProbert]

Great point. I can't believe nobody mentioned game management in the thread asking what people would do about officiating.

If refereeing really needs to be improved, anyone want to propose a solution?