It's really a pity when the refs sabotage games by not doing their job. Contrary to what some people claim, this is not letting the players play, it's letting players cheat. Talented players get prevented from doing something by opponents who are either too lazy or not skilled enough to stop them properly.
It's one thing to miss an infraction here and there, or not to make a call on every questionable attempt, but the way you constantly see games where refs fail to acknowledge a whole lot of blatant infractions is just plain embarrassing. And it doesn't matter one bit whether that is happening because the refs just like to handle it that way or because the NHL tells them to ref games that way, it's wrong either way. The refs need to do their friggin job and let the players actually play the game, which means you call infractions instead of pretending nothing wrong is happening.
If you actually make calls, players adjust accordingly. If you do not make calls, players will cheat to their hearts content. And that punishes talent and helps a lack of talent or lack of effort.
