What was the worst call by a ref in NHL history?

[Mitch nylander]

The most WTF call to me is this one.



But Gretzky miss is one of the worst based on the context of it.

 

[cole von cole]

Would you mind linking me to video of this goal? I am having difficulty finding it.

 

[Didalee Hed]

Thank you

 

[GhostfaceWu]

Took away the goal and gave them a penalty to boot how incompetent can one ref be?

 

[Dirby Kach]

Zibenjad kick in against habs in playoffs. Lol

Williams sticking koivu eye out no call

 

[tiburon12]

Its definitely a blown call, but at least you can assume the linesman wasnt looking at Duchene for whatever insane reason and really missed seeing it. You can argue he had the only really view of it and the other refs/linesman couldnt overrule it. These two in one playoffs though for the same team though...

Let me ask you this? Does that Eakin play look like a typical hockey play? Do players normally crosscheck and charge through an opposing center off a draw and then stop skating? If you look at the full video, the puck goes back to Burns at the right point and Eakin is looking the wrong way / leaves burns alone with the puck (I know its not his guy but you dont leave BB alone with the puck at the point in game 7...).

This was a BS and dirty play absolutely worthy of a penalty, and since it caused injury, falls under the requirements for a major. I'll argue that forever. That said, the refs missed it and made a critical mistake in reversing their call or whatever incorrect protocols they invented to assess the major.

 

[Oheao]

Took away the goal and gave them a penalty to boot how incompetent can one ref be?

Oh yeah, I remember that. Detroit doesn't even touch Holtby, Holtby just falls on his own and Detroit get the goal disallowed and a penalty.

 

[Duke Silver]

Let me ask you this? Does that Eakin play look like a typical hockey play? Do players normally crosscheck and charge through an opposing center off a draw and then stop skating? If you look at the full video, the puck goes back to Burns at the right point and Eakin is looking the wrong way / leaves burns alone with the puck (I know its not his guy but you dont leave BB alone with the puck at the point in game 7...).

This was a BS and dirty play absolutely worthy of a penalty, and since it caused injury, falls under the requirements for a major. I'll argue that forever. That said, the refs missed it and made a critical mistake in reversing their call or whatever incorrect protocols they invented to assess the major.

I have no dog in this fight, but yes, absolutely, cross-checks to the chest/arms off a face-off happen all the time. It's a matter of body positioning.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

It wasn't significant in terms of being in the playoffs or anything like that, but this is still the worst call I've ever seen. How do you not call that a goal after having video footage?

 

[tny760]

how o'halloran tracked that puck into the net but somehow didn't notice it changing directions 20 feet in the air is one of the world's great mysteries

clowe playing the puck from the bench was another good one, the back ref was literally staring at it

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

Zibenjad kick in against habs in playoffs. Lol

Williams sticking koivu eye out no call

An even worse one was when Pageau scored to tie Game 6 in 2015 but the ref, somehow, didn't see the puck that leaked right through Price and blew the whistle. Saved the Habs the embarrassment of blowing a 3-0 series lead, too.

 

[Thread The Needle]

Took away the goal and gave them a penalty to boot how incompetent can one ref be?

This call really pissed me off. I mean I went off the rails when this happened. I was incredulous too.

 

[Little Psycho]

Until last year's fiasco (VGK vs SJ, the 5 min major) the worst ever had to be Kings/Ducks game 7 2014. Corey Perry blocks a shot and breaks his stick in the process. He then gets a semi breakaway going the other way that is broken up by Doughty. The refs not only fail to call Perry for playing with a broken stick but call Doughty for slashing and award Perry a penalty shot!

I honestly only remember that because Doughty lost his shit understandingly so .

 

[tiburon12]

I have no dog in this fight, but yes, absolutely, cross-checks to the chest/arms off a face-off happen all the time. It's a matter of body positioning.

Scrums at the dot happen, yes, not standing, forceful crosschecks to the chest that are away from the play.

A center's job, regardless of winning or losing the draw, is to tie up the other center.....which is not at all what Eakin does here. He loses the draw, immediately crosschecks Pavelski into Stastny, who is trying to get the point to defend Burns, and then stands still, looking for something to do since he shoved his man out of the way. No part of that is good defensive, or legal hockey. You can't just shove people down to the ice on a faceoff. It's so clear Eakin was just being an asshole and trying to be overly physical.

Call it crosschecking or interference, it's still a penalty and a terrible hockey play.

For reference, here's a video of a bunch of d-zone faceoffs and none have the defensive center cross checking the offensive center in the chest away from the play.

 

[HookKing]

I honestly only remember that because Doughty lost his shit understandingly so .

Yep. He was also the only person on the ice that saw the infamous puck off the protective net into the goal in Detroit one year.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Let me ask you this? Does that Eakin play look like a typical hockey play? Do players normally crosscheck and charge through an opposing center off a draw and then stop skating? If you look at the full video, the puck goes back to Burns at the right point and Eakin is looking the wrong way / leaves burns alone with the puck (I know its not his guy but you dont leave BB alone with the puck at the point in game 7...).

This was a BS and dirty play absolutely worthy of a penalty, and since it caused injury, falls under the requirements for a major. I'll argue that forever. That said, the refs missed it and made a critical mistake in reversing their call or whatever incorrect protocols they invented to assess the major.

There is absolutely no way to defend that call. That call ruined the excitement of what had been a fantastic first round with plenty of physicality and emotion which the NHL had sorely been lacking.

These officials ruined the series and tarnished the playoffs to me for neutral match ups. I obviously watched my own team but there was no reason to watch any other series if this was the standard.

It still infuriates me and that wasn't my team affected.

 

[kingpest19]

I honestly only remember that because Doughty lost his shit understandingly so .

How can the TV crew watch the replay and still go on about how Doughty broke the stick

 

[thaman8765678]

The 04 no goal that cost the Flames the cup.

 

[thewookie1]

The Brett Hull call was correct. The goal was legal under the rules at the time of the game.

Did they know for sure they had made a correct call, probably not. Should they have made more of a show of reviewing it, probably so. But the call was correct.

The claim the changed the rule mid-season is something that has never been fully proven outside of Dallas/NHL representatives and when has a league literally changed a major rule mid season? Goals after the so-called fax were still disallowed due to the original rule. I believe the Sabres actually had one disallowed during those same playoffs due to a foot in the crease ruling. That goal and its ensuing lack of even a hesitation for a review is a black eye that shall forever haunt the NHL. The fact that a Stanley Cup winning goal was effectively hand-waved is a travesty.


That Brad May one is atrocious

Reminds me a bit of a Sam Reinhart "goal" against Dallas a couple years ago that had evidence yet because either refs were blind or they couldn't get a overhead view they ruled it no goal. (Ironic) The only angle that could see it was a ground level cam that could see in-between their goalie's pads which clearly showed the puck with a very visible white space separating it from the goal line. Unless the snow was 3 inches tall in that exact location in a perfect line the puck was very visibly in the net without optical illusions.

There was a playoff game where John Leclair scored through the side of the net on Hasek and it wasn't overturned.

A Briere goal in 2007 series against the Rangers which was clearly in but not counted

 

[Legionnaire]

The Brett Hull call was correct. The goal was legal under the rules at the time of the game.

Did they know for sure they had made a correct call, probably not. Should they have made more of a show of reviewing it, probably so. But the call was correct.

No. It was not. There were goals called back where skates had hardly even had a toe in the crease. The league looked stupid and quickly got rid of the rule before the next season because the rule had an impact on other teams outcomes as well.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Worst call? Every single one made against my team.

 

[tiburon12]

There is absolutely no way to defend that call. That call ruined the excitement of what had been a fantastic first round with plenty of physicality and emotion which the NHL had sorely been lacking.

These officials ruined the series and tarnished the playoffs to me for neutral match ups. I obviously watched my own team but there was no reason to watch any other series if this was the standard.

It still infuriates me and that wasn't my team affected.

I didn't defend it. What i said, very clearly, was that the play fit the requirements for a major, but the refs were still wrong because they missed it initially and mishandled assessing it.

 

[Llamamoto]

When Kesler held Talbots pads open

This.

 

[Sendhelp2Anaheim]

When Kesler held Talbots pads open

Fake news

Talbots and nurse were assaulting poor Kesler, so he couldn’t be part of the play. thank god karma struck and rakell scored and the ducks won the series and sent the bad guys packin.

I still remember mcdavid sitting on the bench sulking afterwards, that’s what they get for trying to turn a hockey match into a wrestling match all series long. Just glad the more skilled team won.

 

[Llamamoto]

Fake news

Talbots and nurse were assaulting poor Kesler, so he couldn’t be part of the play. thank god karma struck and rakell scored and the ducks won the series and sent the bad guys packin.

I still remember mcdavid sitting on the bench sulking afterwards, that’s what they get for trying to turn a hockey match into a wrestling match all series long. Just glad the more skilled team won.

The Ducks are more skilled than the Oilers....?