Tim Peel’s career as an NHL referee is over after his voice was picked up by a TV microphone saying he wanted to give a penalty against the Nashville Predators.
The league announced on Wednesday that Peel “will no longer play NHL games, now or in the future.” Peel, 54, had already made plans to retire next month.
“Nothing is more important than ensuring the integrity of our game,” Colin Campbell, vice president of the NHL’s hockey division, said in a statement. “Tim Peel’s behavior directly contradicts adherence to that cornerstone principle that we demand of our officials and that of our fans, players, coaches and everyone involved in our game, expects and deserves it.”
The NHL determined that it was Peel’s voice heard on the TV broadcast of the Predators home game against the Detroit Red Wings after Nashville forward Viktor Arvidsson was given a minor stumbling sentence five minutes into the second period .
“It wasn’t much, but I wanted to get a (expletive) punishment against Nashville early on in the game,” the unknown official heard say before the microphone was cut. Peel worked out the game with referee Kelly Sutherland.
“There is no justification for his comments, regardless of context or intent,” Campbell said.
The Predators won 2-0 and received four penalties, compared to three of the Red Wings. Nashville’s Matt Duchene at a local radio appearance Wednesday wondered out loud what would have happened if Detroit scored on the power play, won the game, and the Predators missed the playoffs by one point.
“The funny thing is that in that clip he was talking to (teammate Filip) Forsberg, and he told our bank that. Really bizarre, ” Duchene said“I don’t think there is a place for that in hockey. you have to call it game. I’ve always been frustrated seeing steady phone calls or things like that. If one team earns power play, you can’t punish them because the other team isn’t. “
Duchene and other players in the league have doubts that make-up calls are a regular part of hockey, although he acknowledged that “there are certainly nights when you are skeptical about them.”
“Some of the good umpires definitely have a feel for the game and they know the ebb and flow and they know they should try to keep the game as even as possible unless the play dictates otherwise,” said Ryan Strome, New York striker Rangers. “But as players you can only ask that they try to call it as fair as possible.”
Washington center Nicklas Backstrom, a 14-year veteran, said the incident was a first for him.
“I’ve never heard anything like it,” said Backstrom. “I think it might be a shame it happened and came out that way, but at the same time the league had to do what they had to do.”
Most players and coaches expressed their respect for referees on the ice and regretted how difficult their job is to keep up with the fast gameBuffalo interim coach Don Granato said he has “complete confidence” in the people who work for the NHL.
“(Peel) made a mistake, but unfortunately you don’t want overtaking to be part of the game,” said Edmonton’s Adam Larsson. ‘I don’t think it’s correct. I guess if it’s an obvious one, I don’t think it should be compensated. “
AP freelance reporter Jim Diamond in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed.
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