I think you went too deep TOML. You bring up important issues though.
1. PEDs. I think there's a whole don't-ask-don't-tell thing going on with the players. I can't believe that teams would administer that stuff willingly to their own players. And thinking that it's league sanctioned is too much for me. It's not like Bettman bobbles down to the Bruins' locker room and needles Chara up the arse himself.
All playoff teams should be tested at the start of the playoffs. That would be enough for me considering the NHL is doing jack squat for testing right now.
2. Refs. PPs will decide games in a league like the NHL. Every team is capable of beating any other team, and if one team gets over double the PPs of the other team, they will win - period. I fully believe that the NHL "encourages" the refs to extend playoff series. No more evidence is needed other than the Rangers vs. Caps series last year. Other teams are also given preferential treatment (how can people even argue against this?). This BS should not be tolerated by any fans of the game of hockey.
These are serious issues with the NHL right now, but it's not rigged WWE style. I'm almost wishing it was though at this point. Maybe we'd see Bettman strut out to hand the Cup to someone only to get hit over the head with a folding chair.