Officiating

[BenDrinkin]

Watching NHL games as a fan of neither team, it's disgusting to see how bad officiating is in this day and age. Could other leagues possibly be worse? I see spite calls, make up calls, phantom calls, crowd calls, misconducts for when players get frustrated by poor officiating, etc. I get mad when I see this happening to teams I don't like, because it's horse $hit.

The sooner the NHL makes some changes the better. If we aren't trying to get the calls right, what are we even doing?

I think it's beyond obvious that on-ice officials are completely incapable to officiating a fair game, wether it be from the speed of the game or something else. They also get in the way, having so many of them out there. Off-ice officials are going to be the solution, sooner or later.

I'm tired of crap calls. Very tired.

[King Heffy]

Last game was disgraceful. There's a few potential solutions:

• A few more lawsuits like the Lindros one. At some point the NHL is going to be named as a defendant if it keeps condoning these refs actions.
• Use the ref cam as an evaluation tool. Hold the refs accountable for their actions and make the process reasonably transparent.
• Have guys like Makaveli step up their efforts to expose the league. The more publicity we give these videos, the worse it looks when the NHL refuses to address the issue. The guy's even got shoutouts on other teams' broadcasts.
• Allow each team to name 3 refs they don't wish to officiate their games. This prevents the NHL from being able to fly guys like Sutherland in to butcher a series, and builds in some accountability. If 20 teams refuse to have a given ref work their games, the problem is probably a result of poor officiating.
• Ditch the 2 ref system, in favour of an eye in the sky. There simply aren't enough refs capable of officiating at the NHL level to make the 2 ref system feasible.
• Address the shortage of quality refs by aggressively recruiting IIHF refs. While the standards tend to be a little stricter, they at least call the game the same way for both teams far more often.
• Failing that, just send out an enforcer from the AHL and charge him with putting someone like Devorski in the hospital. If the refs won't clean up their act voluntarily, fear of physical harm may be the only alternative.

[Rick Grimes]

Refs are people with problems too..

They'll never be perfect, it's by design a flawed system if you're trying to catch "EVERYTHING"

[Gross-Misconduct]

meh, it's just a game. the players get their millions no matter how the game is reffed.

[RUPERTKBD]

Watching NHL games as a fan of neither team, it's disgusting to see how bad officiating is in this day and age. Could other leagues possibly be worse? I see spite calls, make up calls, phantom calls, crowd calls, misconducts for when players get frustrated by poor officiating, etc. I get mad when I see this happening to teams I don't like, because it's horse $hit.

The sooner the NHL makes some changes the better. If we aren't trying to get the calls right, what are we even doing?

I think it's beyond obvious that on-ice officials are completely incapable to officiating a fair game, wether it be from the speed of the game or something else. They also get in the way, having so many of them out there. Off-ice officials are going to be the solution, sooner or later.

I'm tired of $hit calls. Very tired.

Bad calls happen in every sport.

Ask Raider fans how they feel about the ``tuck`` call against the Patsies...

[Chance]

The refs are put in a difficult position by Bettman's version of the game.

In order to sell the game to a largely uniformed and inexperienced American audience, the refs are told to call lots of penalties because power plays are exciting. Hence all the phantom calls and "game management".

The best solution - get rid of Bettman (but that won't happen) or start a Canadian league so we can get back to playing the game the way it should be played (also very highly unlikely).

[bigbadcanucks]

The officials should be subject to post-game podium pressers. At the very least they will have to answer some questions about the calls they made or didn't make. Sure, we'll get canned responses from the officials, but who knows...maybe under the pressure of media scrutiny, they will reveal something or admit to blown calls. Probably won't change things too much, but players and coaches are forced to provide commentary...officials should be subjected to the same.

They should do this in all sports.

[Patrick Jane]

reffing isn't easy as it seems.....its not the refs fault when we trip or hook a guy.

[stevie-Y]

The refs are put in a difficult position by Bettman's version of the game.

In order to sell the game to a largely uniformed and inexperienced American audience, the refs are told to call lots of penalties because power plays are exciting. Hence all the phantom calls and "game management".

The best solution - get rid of Bettman (but that won't happen) or start a Canadian league so we can get back to playing the game the way it should be played (also very highly unlikely).

lol what a dope.. your first post after having an account for nearly 4 years is to talk disrespectfully about an entire country.

It's 2015, I think we understand hockey just fine. And no, we don't need power plays to drum up interest in the sport.

[SamJamIam]

There's an official on the ice for every 3 players at any given time. The excuse that reffing is hard does not apply.

[6YPE]

lol what a dope.. your first post after having an account for nearly 4 years is to talk disrespectfully about an entire country.

It's 2015, I think we understand hockey just fine. And no, we don't need power plays to drum up interest in the sport.

2240 posts and you start by calling someone a name, pretty awesome.... I'd hazard a guess that your reading retention isnt that great. The poster wasnt speaking disrespectfully about an entire country, he simply stated that the American audience on a whole doesnt really understand hockey and I would have to side with him... I dont care what year it is, and how much you know about hockey, it has nothing to do with how much the average American knows about the game.

I dont necessarily agree that they are handing out more penalties because of the American viewers, but I do know they make or look away from calls for game management, all you have to do is watch last nights Van/Leafs game to see it. Very blatant, with the call on Webber to give the leaf a 5 on 3, to try and get the Leaf back in... also, the hook to the hand by Sedin on the bogus penalty shot was an obvious attempt to give the leafs a chance at a freebee so they wouldnt get shut out, or perhaps mount some kind of come back....

Maybe try have a little more cooth and try understanding what people are saying before you just spew some crap.....

[RUPERTKBD]

lol what a dope.. your first post after having an account for nearly 4 years is to talk disrespectfully about an entire country.

It's 2015, I think we understand hockey just fine. And no, we don't need power plays to drum up interest in the sport.

I agree. The whole "Bettman is pandering to the American audience" is hugely overblown, IMO.

Edit: However, even though it might have been deserved, I would have left the personal insult out.

[skolozsy2]

I agree. The whole "Bettman is pandering to the American audience" is hugely overblown, IMO.

Edit: However, even though it might have been deserved, I would have left the personal insult out.

The irony of the argument is that in the dozen games last night, the game that actually had the most PP opportunities was the Toronto/Vancouver game. Oddly enough, American hockey fans didn't even get that game, they got Chicago/San Jose and Montreal/Islanders.

[The Magician]

Tbh Bettman heart attack 2016

[jdatb]

<p>

Last game was disgraceful. There's a few potential solutions:

• A few more lawsuits like the Lindros one. At some point the NHL is going to be named as a defendant if it keeps condoning these refs actions.
• Use the ref cam as an evaluation tool. Hold the refs accountable for their actions and make the process reasonably transparent.
• Have guys like Makaveli step up their efforts to expose the league. The more publicity we give these videos, the worse it looks when the NHL refuses to address the issue. The guy's even got shoutouts on other teams' broadcasts.
• Allow each team to name 3 refs they don't wish to officiate their games. This prevents the NHL from being able to fly guys like Sutherland in to butcher a series, and builds in some accountability. If 20 teams refuse to have a given ref work their games, the problem is probably a result of poor officiating.
• Ditch the 2 ref system, in favour of an eye in the sky. There simply aren't enough refs capable of officiating at the NHL level to make the 2 ref system feasible.
• Address the shortage of quality refs by aggressively recruiting IIHF refs. While the standards tend to be a little stricter, they at least call the game the same way for both teams far more often.
• Failing that, just send out an enforcer from the AHL and charge him with putting someone like Devorski in the hospital. If the refs won't clean up their act voluntarily, fear of physical harm may be the only alternative.

You came so close to making a reasonable, well thought-out post.