I didn't say it was inaccurate. I said it's shady as hell, and nobody should accept it.

Think of what VanVleet said about the bias officiating against him. And what happened after that?

Like I said, nobody should settle for a poopty and corrupt sport.
- UsernameUnknown

Far from the only one with this opinion and its definitely not the outlandish unacceptable point of view it's being pegged as.

https://thehockeywriters....-lightning-2023-playoffs/

If Samsonov has another though night in game 2, do we see Woll in tampa for game 3?
- Symba007

Short answer? Yes

Long answer? Oh (frank) yeah, bud.

The elephant in the room is that the NHL reffing is terrible and they don't have a plan to fix it. It's one of the reasons why this is a bush league and will always be that way.

If players, coaches, and long-time fans who have watched 1000s of hours of hockey can't tell what a penalty is or isn't any more, then you have a major problem.

Teams are literally trying to test the waters early on in games (hell, even periods), to see how the game is going to be called: tight, loose, lopsided?

Spin the Wheel of Justice and (frank) around and find out.

Like they should just fully embrace the game management and make sure the calls are even at the end of the game. Tit for tat, because if they're going to call a Schenn shove a cross-check and a Kampf phantom slash (followed by another "slash" that wasn't called), surely they can find something else to call to even it up.

Just go with it. What have you got to lose? We're at rock bottom right now, nowhere to go but up.

What pisses me off is the media -- they have no problem poopting all over the Leafs, but can't write a story and question the refs or Bettman about the lopsided penalty differential the Leafs have had for years now? But they have no problem selling their souls to the gambling empire who are just printing money off the backs of their fans.
- gravyface

Yup.

Bolded- US feed called the officiating the worst they've seen in a long time. Sportsnet has Friedman saying "suck it up".

*Ref fails miserably at his job*

Keefe calls him out on it; gets fined.

And he didn't even actually say anything to the media. He was fined for being flabbergasted on the bench about how bad it was.
- GreatGigInTheSky

and perhaps that backfired with last night

Correct. I agree with you. The league does it there way. It's totally legal and not crossing any of those lines.

However, people can argue that it shouldn't be or that there's precedence for another option should the league choose to go a different route.

My personal stance is, McCauley's friend did some evil poop to Keefe. Keefe, I'm trying to remember, accused Frost of this. I know one thing, is that people are rat bastards and if McCauley can "help" his friend out by making Keefe's career miserable who "ruined" Frost's then I wouldn't be shocked if it happened.

I've seen people use up their parents money while said parent is on the deathbed and then have to walk it back after said parent got better. People are poopty.
- Aaron_85

There is zero evidence that McCauley is doing that however. Imagine trying to convince a court using what’s available as evidence that he is? It would get laughed at and dismissed.

There are two refs on the ice and multiple people watching every little thing they do, every second, up in Toronto. If this guy was truly doing this his coworkers would have to ride along with it putting their own reputations as unbiased refs at risk. Not likely whatsoever.

The leafs also aren’t complaining about this ref at all, or the players, or the union, or anyone but fans or the poopty media types who write up on a topic like this due to the fans overreaction.

If Samsonov has another though night in game 2, do we see Woll in tampa for game 3?
- Symba007

Yes

I didn't say it was inaccurate. I said it's shady as hell, and nobody should accept it.

Think of what VanVleet said about the bias officiating against him. And what happened after that?

Like I said, nobody should settle for a poopty and corrupt sport.
- UsernameUnknown

We accept it with ever game we watch and every dollar spent.

I said Leafs in 6...so they have to lose 2 games for my prediction to be right. Still Beleafs
- Symba007

This is the Passion™ I love to see outta you.

So boys. The writing is on the wall that 34 leaves if/when Leafs lose. From what I hear the window is still open to trade him before Canada Day. Should we, or risk another season of anxiety and watch him walk for bupkiss?
- Tee-Dot

bump because I'm always last on the page.

Yup.

Bolded- US feed called the officiating the worst they've seen in a long time. Sportsnet has Friedman saying "suck it up".
- GreatGigInTheSky

Defund Sportsnet!

There is zero evidence that McCauley is doing that however. Imagine trying to convince a court using what’s available as evidence that he is? It would get laughed at and dismissed.

There are two refs on the ice and multiple people watching every little thing they do, every second, up in Toronto. If this guy was truly doing this his coworkers would have to ride along with it putting their own reputations as unbiased refs at risk. Not likely whatsoever.

The leafs also aren’t complaining about this ref at all, or the players, or the union, or anyone but fans or the poopty media types who write up on a topic like this due to the fans overreaction.
- Dozzer

I'm not saying he IS doing that currently. I'm saying, I can see why people don't want to even question it but the league doesn't care.

The only thing I'll say to the real world is, plenty of incidents where shady poop happens in a league (not just NHL) and it's a long time before it's found out.

We accept it with ever game we watch and every dollar spent.
- Aaron_85

I know. And that's pretty tragic. But being vocal about the piss poor product the zebras create on the ice is a step in the right direction.
Monetary protests would be the most effective, but vocal ones can work too, but often have to come by the players. And Dozzer implying the players are okay with it because they don't speak out about it is a sad and laughably naïve take.

and perhaps that backfired with last night
- drexel

*Insert more conflict of interest*

I know. And that's pretty tragic. But being vocal about the piss poor product the zebras create on the ice is a step in the right direction.
Monetary protests would be the most effective, but vocal ones can work too, but often have to come by the players. And Dozzer implying the players are okay with it because they don't speak out about it is a sad and laughably naïve take.
- UsernameUnknown

It’s only because unlike a lot of leaf fans I refuse to whine about an unproven hatred.

The leafs played like poop last night and that’s why they lost.

Defund Sportsnet!
- drexel

I'm more than on the side of TSN getting the NHL rights back.

It’s only because unlike a lot of leaf fans I refuse to whine about an unproven hatred.

The leafs played like poop last night and that’s why they lost.
- Dozzer

Nobody is saying otherwise. You need to stop using that argument against calling out bad officiating.

I'm not saying he IS doing that currently. I'm saying, I can see why people don't want to even question it but the league doesn't care.

The only thing I'll say to the real world is, plenty of incidents where shady poop happens in a league (not just NHL) and it's a long time before it's found out.
- Aaron_85

Which makes your point of view nothing more than an unproven suspicion. Can’t operate a league around that kind of thing.

Nobody is saying otherwise. You need to stop using that argument against calling out bad officiating.
- UsernameUnknown

No no no… bad officiating exists… it’s the biased argument of one specific ref that I’m not agreeing to since there is no proof other than a suspicion due to his relationship with someone else.

bump because I'm always last on the page.
- Tee-Dot

You're way too early with this poop.

Let us enjoy these discussions when the season ends.

No no no… bad officiating exists… it’s the biased argument of one specific ref that I’m not agreeing to since there is no proof other than a suspicion due to his relationship with someone else.
- Dozzer

There is enough suspect proof to call it into question and that should be enough to avoid the situation altogether.
It was dumb to even let the potential for bias to happen when it hurts nobody to avoid it. You've been told this simple fact and ignore it so I don't want to continue trying.

You're way too early with this poop.

Let us enjoy these discussions when the season ends.
- Scabeh

I enjoy the thought of the fruit that a Matthews' trade would bear instead of watching a generational star walk for jack poop. You and I both know Leafs are done this round dammit.

There is zero evidence that McCauley is doing that however. Imagine trying to convince a court using what’s available as evidence that he is? It would get laughed at and dismissed.

There are two refs on the ice and multiple people watching every little thing they do, every second, up in Toronto. If this guy was truly doing this his coworkers would have to ride along with it putting their own reputations as unbiased refs at risk. Not likely whatsoever.

The leafs also aren’t complaining about this ref at all, or the players, or the union, or anyone but fans or the poopty media types who write up on a topic like this due to the fans overreaction.
- Dozzer

Conflict of interest isn’t based on what someone actually does but on the perception that he MIGHT not be completely partial. The league has created a situation where this is now a subject of discussion. Complaining about reffing is standard but giving those complaints something to do stand on is dumb and unnecessary.

You're way too early with this poop.

Let us troll/enjoy these "discussions" until the season ends next week.
- Scabeh

What you really meant

I know. And that's pretty tragic. But being vocal about the piss poor product the zebras create on the ice is a step in the right direction.
Monetary protests would be the most effective, but vocal ones can work too, but often have to come by the players. And Dozzer implying the players are okay with it because they don't speak out about it is a sad and laughably naïve take.
- UsernameUnknown

Well Dozzer is wrong that the players don't talk about it. Not to the media but they likely talk amongst themselves about it.

Sure, people can complain about the refs. I think they are bad as a whole, not just against the leafs. But someone told me that they are rushing refs to the NHL now because there's very few candidates anymore.

I will say this. If the leafs don't want the refs to influence the game, it's difficult to do if you're up 7 - 0 in a game so go play a great game from the start instead.

No no no… bad officiating exists… it’s the biased argument of one specific ref that I’m not agreeing to since there is no proof other than a suspicion due to his relationship with someone else.
- Dozzer

I think you are all saying the same thing it is just that the NHL should be avoiding this kind of speculation all together because of the past history.. No different that if a lawyer recuses himself from a case.. It is not that they would do anything different but that they could do something that affects the integrity.

That being said the Leafs lost because the "CORE 4" played like garbage (except Willie).

People will look and see Marner with 3 points but he looked the same as he has in the past playoffs where he shied away from the contact and intensity.. Mathews to me looked like Mathews from mid season and not how he has looked for the last month on his hunt for 40 goals.

We dominated Tampa 5-0 last year Game 1 so the tables are turned but nothing gets better unlef the Leafs play better