Referee Bias against the Leafs - Something needs to be done

[notDatsyuk]

Except this is where you're wrong. We've gotten significantly more penalties than Tampa this series.

Except for Clifford's major and misconduct in game 1, we have taken two more minor penalties! 36 to 34.

I don't think that qualifies as 'significantly more'.

 

[saltming]

 

[Byron Bitz]

My take on this:
I don’t agree with the conspiracy theory that the NHL is rigging the officials against us because they don’t want us to win. However, I do not believe there is such thing as a completely neutral ref. These refs grew up hockey fans and all hockey fans have teams they like more than others it’s just a question of how much. If you talk to fans of other teams around the league they all hate the Leafs, the Leafs are the most hated team outside of Leaf nation. They mostly hate us because we get more media coverage than any other teams. You cannot convince me that a large number of these refs didnt grow up hating the leafs and want to see us lose. They arnt gonna make it really obvious but they will jump on opportunities to make a borderline call on us at the worst possible time.

 

[Caesium]

If it were only the refs who f*** over the Leafs, I wouldn't call it a conspiracy. The rulings that DOPS has made over the past 10 years combined with the calls the refs make 100% convinces me that the NHL actively tries to make the Leafs lose.

I'm pretty much done with the NHL and I think anyone who remains a fan is delusional and a sucker.

 

[paulhiggins]

It's not the number of penalties called between Tampa and Toronto that's a factor. Pretty much even. However Tampa made far more transgressions that were not called, compared to the Leafs. Also consider the timing of these non-calls. These are what determines who wins, all other things being equal. Don't be fooled by just looking at the penalty differential between two teams.

 

[saltming]

The NHL should allow the coaches challenge for bad calls like the fake high stick in game 6.
Extra 2 if the coach was wrong or 2 minutes the other way for embellishment if the video shows the call was wrong

 

[banks]

The NHL should allow the coaches challenge for bad calls like the fake high stick in game 6.
Extra 2 if the coach was wrong or 2 minutes the other way for embellishment if the video shows the call was wrong

I get the desire for this, but that's not a simple fix. The best thing to do is to get the calls right.

Just let the refs see replays. The on ice refs gather and deliberate sometimes, but aren't allowed to even look up at the jumbotron. Let them see what happened... And/or put an eye in the sky who has access to replays and can fix a bad call immediately and just get it right.

 

[Trapper]

The NHL should allow the coaches challenge for bad calls like the fake high stick in game 6.
Extra 2 if the coach was wrong or 2 minutes the other way for embellishment if the video shows the call was wrong

We live in a world of 50,000 cameras, phones and other devices.

In the playoffs there should be a ref team in the building with access to monitors if all angles that the head ref has a direct link to for reviews. Shouldn’t need a challenge to say it wasn’t a penalty, never touched him, etc.

 

[Stinger8]

My take on this:
I don’t agree with the conspiracy theory that the NHL is rigging the officials against us because they don’t want us to win. However, I do not believe there is such thing as a completely neutral ref. These refs grew up hockey fans and all hockey fans have teams they like more than others it’s just a question of how much. If you talk to fans of other teams around the league they all hate the Leafs, the Leafs are the most hated team outside of Leaf nation. They mostly hate us because we get more media coverage than any other teams. You cannot convince me that a large number of these refs didnt grow up hating the leafs and want to see us lose. They arnt gonna make it really obvious but they will jump on opportunities to make a borderline call on us at the worst possible time.

I know a guy who is an NHL linesman right now from out west. Was my nephew before I got divorced. He told me more than once he hated the Leafs, did not say that clouded his judgment but he did grow up cheering a western team and hated the Leafs. No B.S.

 

[pcruz]

I know a guy who is an NHL linesman right now from out west. Was my nephew before I got divorced. He told me more than once he hated the Leafs, did not say that clouded his judgment but he did grow up cheering a western team and hated the Leafs. No B.S.

It doesn't matter.

People are not stupid enough to put their careers on the line for petty personal vendettas.

This has to stop.
There is no conspiracy.

It's just poor officiating and mixed messaging from the league office on how strict to be.

 

[paulhiggins]

We live in a world of 50,000 cameras, phones and other devices.

In the playoffs there should be a ref team in the building with access to monitors if all angles that the head ref has a direct link to for reviews. Shouldn’t need a challenge to say it wasn’t a penalty, never touched him, etc.

I'd settle for allowing camera reviews...one or two per period per team and none of the BS like getting a penalty if you're wrong. Unlike people, cameras can't be influenced if they're stationary.

 

[paulhiggins]

It doesn't matter.

People are not stupid enough to put their careers on the line for petty personal vendettas.

This has to stop.
There is no conspiracy.

It's just poor officiating and mixed messaging from the league office on how strict to be.

It happened in baseball against the Blue Jays so it's not absurd to think it could happen here (personal vendettas). I don't see a lot of refs being fired for lopsided officiating even though I see a lot of lopsided officiating. If it happens consistently, the officials should be demoted.

 

[Walshy7]

The NHL should allow the coaches challenge for bad calls like the fake high stick in game 6.
Extra 2 if the coach was wrong or 2 minutes the other way for embellishment if the video shows the call was wrong

lets say the conspiracy thing is real:
then they'd look at it and give the extra 2 mins to leafs every time because they are against the leafs now we have 4 min penalties all the time, they are looking at it are they going to admit they messed up the call or jsut say "nope i made a good call here"

im not saying the conspiracy is real or not here, just pointing out if it were real your fix here would actually make it better in terms of "punishing the leafs"

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

This thread is embarrassing.

There is no bias. What is more likely is that our style of play, and our lack of embellishment, likely cost us calls.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

I've written a sternly-worded letter to my Member of Parliament and the Prime Minister. I expect a response any day now.

 

[ULF_55]

Is there a non-fan based and non-NHL employee based organization that reviews games?

Bias does play a role in interpretation, regardless. That's why honest judges recluse themselves from situations where they have any real or perceived conflict.

So when someone says I hate the Leafs but my judgement is fair cannot be accepted as unbiased. Most of us here are Human not Vulcan.

I put very little faith in NHL or FAN based opinions.

 

[DuklaNation]

There is an obvious risk of bias in subjective rulings. Anyone who says otherwise is just wrong. I used to think Leafs got a favourable whistle back in the day but not sure about that lately. On the business side, the reality is sinking in since Bettman took over, Canadian teams playoff record, intro of salary cap, etc. Reduce it to statistical analysis, it doesn't look good.

 

[saltming]

lets say the conspiracy thing is real:
then they'd look at it and give the extra 2 mins to leafs every time because they are against the leafs now we have 4 min penalties all the time, they are looking at it are they going to admit they messed up the call or jsut say "nope i made a good call here"

im not saying the conspiracy is real or not here, just pointing out if it were real your fix here would actually make it better in terms of "punishing the leafs"

Well then there would be evidence that could be used against the refs. Get an impartial judge and blast them out of the water.
For the record I don't think there is some conspiracy going on but I do believe some refs let their bias get in the way

 

[saltming]

We live in a world of 50,000 cameras, phones and other devices.

In the playoffs there should be a ref team in the building with access to monitors if all angles that the head ref has a direct link to for reviews. Shouldn’t need a challenge to say it wasn’t a penalty, never touched him, etc.

I like this idea too, even more than mine.
Your way it's impartial and looks like the refs are doing their due diligence to ensure fair in game calls.
My only thing is how would this slow the game down if calk after call is reviewed?

 

[Vaive50]

Something is scripted to some point. It's not as obvious as WWE as they even admit that the winners are scripted and everybody from Vince knows the script. I don't know if it's just personal hate of the Leafs by the refs or personal love of the Bolts by the refs, or if it comes from Bettman or if the Bolts are knowingly included into the script.

Just look at how the whole series was in favor of the Bolts to win it. Right from the start, let's give the Bolts a 5 minute major PP since they couldn't score on the 2 minute PP. But hey, that all turned against the refs. In game 5 when the Leafs were up 3-2, the refs again gave the Bolts a long 5 on 3 PP but the Leafs killed it and won. Isn't it funny that in games 2 and 4 where they Leafs were so far down from the beginning, there were no phantom or major penalties.

So now the Leafs up 3-2 in game 6 with less than 10 minutes to go, it looks like the Bolts might not score so the refs decide to call a phantom high-stick and then 12 seconds later, a self-induced high stick, giving almost a full 2 minute 5 on 3 PP for the Bolts (this is where I think the Bolts might be included in the script with that obvious embellishment and then Hedman lifting Kerfoots stick). And that was the only way they could finally score to tie the game. Otherwise, we'd most likely have put it into their empty net to take the series in 6. And then it would be the Leafs taking Florida to the cleaners like the Bolts are right now.

Then of course there was game 7 where both of the Bolts goals had obvious interference but the goals were still allowed but on JT's goal, it was called and funny thing is how they let JT play it for at least 5 seconds before they decided to call it. Yeah cause they wanted to see if JT would have scored or otherwise they probably wouldn't have called something they weren't calling against the Bolts. Again, this game could have been called in our favor, like they could have counted JT's goal and not the Bolts first goal.

This Tampa Bay team does not impress me one bit and especially their goalie Vasi (with his over-sized equipment). They are cheaters, they know we are the better team, they could only win by cheating (just like they cheated last year with the salary cap). This was just like watching a wrestling match where the refs only see and call what they want to see and call with their face intentionally turned on what they don't want to see.

 

[Racer88]

I’m watching the Tampa game and 5 minutes in the fans are chanting “refs you suck”.
I guess it’s not just a conspiracy against the Leafs

 

[Vaive50]

I’m watching the Tampa game and 5 minutes in the fans are chanting “refs you suck”.
I guess it’s not just a conspiracy against the Leafs

Those must be Florida fans, why in the world would Tampa fans be saying that, they can thank the refs that they are even in the second round, not to mention they're up 3-0 in the second round.

 

[ToneDog]

Close out game and Vasi throwing a 42 save SO with 10m to go.

 

[EGL22]

There is no doubt a thorough investigation is needed looking into ref bias and I can't believe I didn't see it and thought we lost fair and square.

But seeing all these clear eyed Leaf fans calling for ref heads and now reading the same we were robbed by the refs popping up in every team that has been knocked out forums it must be true.

It really makes one wonder why we bother to have playoffs and instead have Bettman declare the 2 teams he wants in the finals and just play the one series.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

I’m watching the Tampa game and 5 minutes in the fans are chanting “refs you suck”.
I guess it’s not just a conspiracy against the Leafs

I'm flipping through channels trying to find the one game where the fans are chanting "refs you rule, great job, keep it up, thanks!"