Sheldon Keefe's "Strategy" for dealing with Officiating

[Atomos2]

Did anyone catch the Detroit broadcast of the Leaf game yesterday? Right when Engvall got the penalty late in the 2nd? Apparently they said Keefe has headshot pictures of the officials refereeing the game in the Leafs dressing room and on the Leafs bench because he thinks its important the players know and respect the refs if they go talk to them. And when they do talk to them, they can address them by name and speak to them with respect.

This to me sounds like something out of Dubas' playbook. Remembering names of the ref and speaking to them respectfully. Being polite to try and gain some favourtism/advantages. Doubt it works unless you have a "B" on your black and gold jersey, but we'll see.

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[Nooodles]

"Thats cute" - Said Gary Bettman and Jeremy Jacobs before bursting out laughing at their daily corruption meeting.

 

[1specter]

I'd rather the Leafs play the bad guy and just ream them all out because clearly being nice hasn't really worked IMO.

 

[SprDaVE]

I don't think it's been working too well in terms of getting calls but it's a respectful thing to do regardless and maybe over time it will affect it a tiny little bit.

 

[GardinerTheForward]

I think this will work. “Being nice didn’t work” as somebody posted IMO isn’t what this is.
Before I’d hear snippets like “f*** You Graham (Skiliter)” when upset after a bad call.
This is using psychology. Like when Ben Franlkin would ask small favours for people to feel closer / get cognitive dissonance and then perceive they like the player more.
Maybe our guys will get the McDavid treatment now.

 

[Spargon]

Sounds like Dubas haters trying really really hard to find things.

Nothing wrong with being respectful and knowing the refs. I can't name 5 refs/linemen any more they just became an anonymous blob of bad with a couple exceptions like Wes McCauley.

Back in the 90s I knew who all the refs were and knew what kind of game to expect depending on if it was McCreary or Devorski or Kerry Fraser etc.

 

[ACC1224]

Sounds like Dubas haters trying really really hard to find things.

Nothing wrong with being respectful and knowing the refs. I can't name 5 refs/linemen any more they just became an anonymous blob of bad with a couple exceptions like Wes McCauley.

Back in the 90s I knew who all the refs were and knew what kind of game to expect depending on if it was McCreary or Devorski or Kerry Fraser etc.

They use to have their names on their jerseys, they don't any longer.

 

[therealkoho]

Somebody needs this kind of courage on an NHL broadcast

 

[TMLeafer]

Pretty sure this was Spezza's idea based on a tsn.ca piece last week.

 

[IPS]

I can appreciate trying something new I suppose. Whatever they were doing before sure wasn't working.

 

[saltming]

They use to have their names on their jerseys, they don't any longer.

The NHL protection program

 

[Lightsol]

The NHL protection program

God forbid the Leaf fans react to Graham Skilltor the way they used to react to "The referee tonight is KERRY FRASER (OH, f***)..."

 

[Mugzy97]

Well yelling in their face isn't going to help so.. Seems like a decent strategy.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Definitely important to build a rapport with the officials. Just like if you get pulled over by a cop it's best to be polite and respectful. Being aggressive and combative with an authority figure isn't a great strategy.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

"Thats cute" - Said Gary Bettman and Jeremy Jacobs before bursting out laughing at their daily corruption meeting.

Pretty much.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Did anyone catch the Detroit broadcast of the Leaf game yesterday? Right when Engvall got the penalty late in the 2nd? Apparently they said Keefe has headshot pictures of the officials refereeing the game in the Leafs dressing room and on the Leafs bench because he thinks its important the players know and respect the refs if they go talk to them. And when they do talk to them, they can address them by name and speak to them with respect.

This to me sounds like something out of Dubas' playbook. Remembering names of the ref and speaking to them respectfully. Being polite to try and gain some favourtism/advantages. Doubt it works unless you have a "B" on your black and gold jersey, but we'll see.

This was actually discussed on Spittin Chiclets recently. Not about the leafs specifically but they were saying that the refs love it when you call them by name and talk to them out there.

Not really any different than beer league. If you joke around with them on the ice you're more likely to get favorable calls. Whereas if you are a a**hole, they won't give ya anything.

 

[saltming]

God forbid the Leaf fans react to Graham Skilltor the way they used to react to "The referee tonight is KERRY FRASER (OH, f***)..."

Fraser shall now be called, "he who shall not be named"
His bias is obvious too. I wonder why the league doesn't look into this stuff. I can't remember the name or exact numbers but there is a ref where the Leafs have only won 1 game he was reffing and it was out of a significant number of games

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Da biases of current refs come from their playing days as kids and in junior .. da kid from northern Ontario or northern Michigan who did not make it and blames TO for everything wrong with hockey is still that guy in his 30s .. and for some god unknown reason those types seem to get hired much more frequently by NHL .. I could get into this topic more but it won't change under Jacobs watch

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Da biases of current refs come from their playing days as kids and in junior .. da kid from northern Ontario or northern Michigan who did not make it and blames TO for everything wrong with hockey is still that guy in his 30s .. and for some god unknown reason those types seem to get hired much more frequently by NHL .. I could get into this topic more but it won't change under Jacobs watch

One of my former team mates with Marlboros who played in O for a year or two and then in Europe for awhile decided to get into reffing .. he worked his way up in GTHL to OHL to ECHL and then to AHL and fairly quickly I may add .. he got invited to NHL ref camps and made main camp .. and it main camp he was best skater they had .. on top of that he had top satisfaction rating most years he reffed including in AHL .. and he went to main camp i think he said for 8 straight years .. and yet he never got hired by NHL

Now what you don't know is his dad was a wealthy TO businessman which was why he could ref for so long .. his dad was a MLSE ticket holder and corporate sponsor too

At his last main camp after once again he did not make it (they finally told him he was getting a little too old to qualify for main camp next year) he was told look i can't officially tell you this and i will deny it but you are a TO guy and a Leaf fan and NHL would never hire you .. now this was a guy who some of you who know da TO hockey scene also will know as a hockey publication wrote up this case .. outside of Wes (whose dad was also nhl top ref before Gary) there has NOT BEEN 1 single Toronto hockey player appointed as an NHL REF .. given GTHL is mecca of hockey world and BY FAR biggest league in world and NOT 1 SINGLE NHL REF .. and there have been a few HIGHLY qualified guys who have been passed over over da years .. BUT not 1 single MEDIA source ever talks about it .. guys like ODOG know exactly what is going on but guess what it makes no sense for him to piss people off in NHL

 

[Leafs1991]

Did anyone catch the Detroit broadcast of the Leaf game yesterday? Right when Engvall got the penalty late in the 2nd? Apparently they said Keefe has headshot pictures of the officials refereeing the game in the Leafs dressing room and on the Leafs bench because he thinks its important the players know and respect the refs if they go talk to them. And when they do talk to them, they can address them by name and speak to them with respect.

This to me sounds like something out of Dubas' playbook. Remembering names of the ref and speaking to them respectfully. Being polite to try and gain some favourtism/advantages. Doubt it works unless you have a "B" on your black and gold jersey, but we'll see.

It was Jason Spezzas idea actually if I remember correctly.

 

[Leafs1991]

Sounds like Dubas haters trying really really hard to find things.

Nothing wrong with being respectful and knowing the refs. I can't name 5 refs/linemen any more they just became an anonymous blob of bad with a couple exceptions like Wes McCauley.

Back in the 90s I knew who all the refs were and knew what kind of game to expect depending on if it was McCreary or Devorski or Kerry Fraser etc.

It wasn't a Dubas idea.

 

[Bellefour20]

I can't be the only one who immediately went there:

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Did anyone catch the Detroit broadcast of the Leaf game yesterday? Right when Engvall got the penalty late in the 2nd? Apparently they said Keefe has headshot pictures of the officials refereeing the game in the Leafs dressing room and on the Leafs bench because he thinks its important the players know and respect the refs if they go talk to them. And when they do talk to them, they can address them by name and speak to them with respect.

This to me sounds like something out of Dubas' playbook. Remembering names of the ref and speaking to them respectfully. Being polite to try and gain some favourtism/advantages. Doubt it works unless you have a "B" on your black and gold jersey, but we'll see.

It's nice to be nice to the nice.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

One of my former team mates with Marlboros who played in O for a year or two and then in Europe for awhile decided to get into reffing .. he worked his way up in GTHL to OHL to ECHL and then to AHL and fairly quickly I may add .. he got invited to NHL ref camps and made main camp .. and it main camp he was best skater they had .. on top of that he had top satisfaction rating most years he reffed including in AHL .. and he went to main camp i think he said for 8 straight years .. and yet he never got hired by NHL

Now what you don't know is his dad was a wealthy TO businessman which was why he could ref for so long .. his dad was a MLSE ticket holder and corporate sponsor too

At his last main camp after once again he did not make it (they finally told him he was getting a little too old to qualify for main camp next year) he was told look i can't officially tell you this and i will deny it but you are a TO guy and a Leaf fan and NHL would never hire you .. now this was a guy who some of you who know da TO hockey scene also will know as a hockey publication wrote up this case .. outside of Wes (whose dad was also nhl top ref before Gary) there has NOT BEEN 1 single Toronto hockey player appointed as an NHL REF .. given GTHL is mecca of hockey world and BY FAR biggest league in world and NOT 1 SINGLE NHL REF .. and there have been a few HIGHLY qualified guys who have been passed over over da years .. BUT not 1 single MEDIA source ever talks about it .. guys like ODOG know exactly what is going on but guess what it makes no sense for him to piss people off in NHL

Interesting, but not surprising.

 

[Lightsol]

Fraser shall now be called, "he who shall not be named"
His bias is obvious too. I wonder why the league doesn't look into this stuff. I can't remember the name or exact numbers but there is a ref where the Leafs have only won 1 game he was reffing and it was out of a significant number of games

Yeah, that's Graham Skilliter. A few years ago we were 1-12 in games he reffed, and our record with him has not improved much. He was the ref for the 8-1 Tampa loss last week, where we learned that hitting someone with a shot by accident is a penalty.