Fired NHL Ref Admits He Made Bad Calls On Purpose

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Dawson McKenzie
October 12, 2023 (3:51 PM)

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There's no doubt that refereeing is put under the microscope, and often times refs get a bad rap for making the wrong call in a split-second moment. However, This former NHL ref just revealed some eyebrow-raising information on how he made calls during his tenure as an NHL referee.

Former Ref Tim Peel Confirms What Many Fans Already Expect

In an interview with Jeremy Roenick, Tim Peel said the quiet part out loud, confirming that he gave preferential treatment to all-star players during his time as a ref in the NHL.

"Did I give Sid Crosby some breaks over the years? Did I give Alexander Ovechkin? Did I give the superstars? Absolutely, because � guess what? � that's what the 18,000 fans are there to see. They're there to see him, not some fourth-line plugger.

Many fans have already seen how this has played out, especially when playing teams with superstars who are apparently getting away with a different standard than the other players on the ice.

Peel Says Blatant Infractions Still Enforced

Peel went on in the interview to say that blatant infractions, like a crosscheck to the head, were obviously still called.

"[For a cross-check to the head], the refs have to call it. The refs are gonna call it. I don't think Hockey Ops says, 'Well, Buffalo's not very good. We shouldn't suspend the other player because they've got a good team and Buffalo's not very good.' I disagree with that."

However, it's a thin line to walk in determining what a blatant call is and isn't, as most plays in the NHL that are deserving or undeserving of a penalty aren't that straightforward.

It's worth noting that Peel was fired from the NHL after he was caught on a hot mic telling one team that he was giving them a penalty as a "make-up call", essentially giving them an undeserving penalty as a way to make up for a bad call previously made.

As seen on Blade of Steel - "Former referee fired by the NHL admits he gave star players special treatment"