James Tanner: NHL Officiating No Worse Than Usual

well james get your ref certification and try to solve the problem

I really think if they just called everything, players would not try and push the boundaries as much as they already do. It does suck to see blatant penalties not called, especially when the next penalty is usually something ticky tack.

Refs kept Toronto in that series. Puke boy Kadri should have been suspended for slew foot from game one.

I just don’t understand all this complaining from guys that have never refereed even a mite game. I’m sorry but if you haven’t skated in their skates then please keep quiet. You look like a buffoon. I have refereed up to bantam level games and I would never even think about calling the refs out. I’m not qualified and neither are you.

I really think if they just called everything, players would not try and push the boundaries as much as they already do. It does suck to see blatant penalties not called, especially when the next penalty is usually something ticky tack.
- SolGoode

The players adjust. They always do. They would only need to call it tight for a couple of weeks.

well james get your ref certification and try to solve the problem
- daryl stanley

Lol why would he do that and expose himself when it's easier to be a backbench blogger and pretend he has all the answers without ever having to put his money where his mouth is? Anyone can be a pajama gm, ref, etc. It's the reason he's here and not doing any of those jobs for real.

well james get your ref certification and try to solve the problem
- daryl stanley

How dare someone offer commentary on a subject without an iron clad solution or extensive personal experience! For shame Adolf Tanner!

But yeah, it's no better or worse than it was 10 years ago, just more avenues by which to whine about it.

well said I agree

Refs kept Toronto in that series. Puke boy Kadri should have been suspended for slew foot from game one.
- Newgod77

you are funny... kadri is a moron. the debrusk hit on marleau was clean 100%.

the refs did not do the leafs any favors in this series...boston has been the benefactor of favorable officiating in every playoff series but here's the thing. In the playoffs late hits, shots to the face in scrums...all that stuff becomes legal and those are thing Boston does well. Other teams could do the same and would also get away with it.

like instead of crosschecking a face, kadri could've gotten into a scrum and then gave the guy a punch to the throat and they would've each gotten two minutes, even if Debrusk didn't even fight back. That's the way to play playoff hockey and it's absurd that the NHL operates this way.

The calls aren't worse than usual, but the amount they are effecting who advances is worse this year than it has been in quite some time. It's not confirmation/recency bias making people think the officiating is worse, it's judging based on result instead of cause.

Tanner, you sound like Stewy now - the rulebook is too confusing. Did he ask you to write this?

I think the reason it’s “worse” now than it has been in the past is because of the offside challenge, goaltender interference review, and increased focus on head injuries over the last few years. It’s created more inconsistencies in the refs calls as well as allowed more opportunities for the refs decisions to influence the outcomes of games.

I just don’t understand all this complaining from guys that have never refereed even a mite game. I’m sorry but if you haven’t skated in their skates then please keep quiet. You look like a buffoon. I have refereed up to bantam level games and I would never even think about calling the refs out. I’m not qualified and neither are you.
- fubar1203

I have watched probably 10 thousand hockey games in my life am and 100% qualified to rip all the refs I want to. The idea that only other NHL refs should complain about referees is perhaps the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, and I frequent this comment section often.

I just don’t understand all this complaining from guys that have never refereed even a mite game. I’m sorry but if you haven’t skated in their skates then please keep quiet. You look like a buffoon. I have refereed up to bantam level games and I would never even think about calling the refs out. I’m not qualified and neither are you.
- fubar1203


I have watched probably 10 thousand hockey games in my life am and 100% qualified to rip all the refs I want to. The idea that only other NHL refs should complain about referees is perhaps the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, and I frequent this comment section often.
- Tanner

I have to agree with JT on this, where else do you have to be the profession to rip them? Pretty sure you can tell when you have a bad surgeon, mechanic, banker, lawyer, politician. Really have to question the logic Fubar.