A letter to the NHL officials Association

[XxGoWingsxX 0]

Information = Ok, i''ve been watching hockey for over 14 years now. I have never seen such horrible officiating in a professional sport. I''m not only talking about the absolutely BLOWN call in the wings/ducks game last night, but I''m talking throughout the league. The players don''t know what they can and can''t do. One period they get away with such things as a stick reaching around and touching another players glove aka "Hooking" (or a joke of a call) and the next period they can haul people down and it flies.

Tell me this. If the ref is supposed to blow the whistle when he loses sight of the puck then WHY did I watch Chris Osgood get run over by a train of Ducks players on several occasions when ozzie had the puck stuck in his equipment for at least 3-4 seconds before a whistle was blown.

Add that to the fact that not only are players running the goalie because the ref apparently has the ability to see through certain players equipment to see the puck, and not see it when its in the open, but the players aren''t even being called for goaltender interference!

The NHL is slowly but surely becoming a joke and the officiating, as well as bettman''s rules and policies are to blame. The man is almost singlehandedly alienating old fans while trying to gain new ones. Well, won''t the new ones be the first to take off when they get bored? Then what? You''ll have lost your older fan base.

I''m seeing in some series, players being suspended for hitting after the game is over, or running players in a dirty way but why was there no suspension handed out when Varlamov was slammed into intentionally?

Why was there no suspension when Mike Brown CLEARLY hit Jiri Hudler with the butt of his stick BLINDSIDING HIM which , Kronwall was penalized for in last nights game? Why do your rules have grey areas for certain players and teams?

You have 4, yes FOUR officials on the ice and sometimes on goals, the official who said it was a goal can be overturned by another official with a better view. Why not in the case of the disallowed goal?

You DO realize that it is completely apparent that you try to make the series draw out as long as you can right? How does a team like the ducks (1st in PIM for the season) get very little penalties for anything when clearly they''re playing dirty all over the ice yet the Detroit Red Wings (least penalized team in the reg season) Gets so many calls? Hmm? Maybe because The referees are told to try to draw the series out more.

Why? Ratings. Any idiot knows that the NHL is a company like any other company and the more games played, the more money in their pockets. Too bad the NHL is quickly becoming the laughing stock of professional sports because your officiating is atrocious.

I doubt I''ll get a response from this because as you always do, you stand behind your officials. Why would you admit they did wrong? It looks bad for you. Your fans know the truth. We''re not all as dumb as Gary Bettman thinks we are.

One more thing. Something needs to be done to ensure team''s fans, going to away games are safe. I heard several reports of Wings fans being verbally, and physically abused on the way back to the cars. Hmm could it be that the Ducks fans are just re-enacting the way their team acts on the ice and gets away with it with no penalty? Ducky see, Ducky do I guess.

This wasn''t just adults either. Women and children were verbally abused and heckled by Ducks fans. There was even one red wings fan who stuck up for the women and children only to have 5 Good sized Ducks fans assault his car breaking his windows and hitting the car''s passenger

The driver of the car was beaten and left with a bloody nose and a broken thumb. For what? Because he figured that people would have some class, but when the league lets the team play and act without class it sets a bad example for the fans.

The NHL needs to clean up their act, teach their officials how to call games down the middle and erase all the gray areas in the rule book. Rules should be black and white. The players are so confused game by game that They come to play checkers but the officials are reffing a chess match.

I know I may sound like a Detroit Homer. I am, born and raised. But I''m a hockey fan regardless of the teams playing and the way these games are called is a joke. It''s pretty bad when the commentary teams on vs are all ripping on the league for its shady officials.

I think you guys need to seriously review your position on the way things are called, and how the rules are written and make changes accordingly, or turn the league over to someone capable of not ruining the greatest game ever. Yeah, I''m talking to you Bettman.

Sincerely,

A very loyal and angry fan of the NHL.

[Vladifan 680]

This is an excellent letter and you made your points very well. I hope all kinds of posters read this and react accordingly.

Where did you sent your letter? Thanks!

[maltbymaniac 13]

i 100% agree with ya,to bad its gonna fall on deaf ears

[CrimsonFlame 424]

You might want to add a part about how the goal last year was nullified against Dallas because Holmstrom's "butt" was in the crease. The Wings always seem to be on the bad side about terrible calls.

[OsGOD 3]

Where did you sent your letter? Thanks!

Right to Bettys trash can...

[egroen 384]

You might want to add a part about how the goal last year was nullified against Dallas because Holmstrom's "butt" was in the crease. The Wings always seem to be on the bad side about terrible calls.

Penalties are missed and bad penalties are called, that does not mean an automatic goal.

The NHL recognizes that the refs can make a mistake on allowing a goal, whether it was kicked, a goalie being shoved in, a hand pass or high sticking and overturn it with the aid of replay.

In the playoffs, more often than not, a game is won by one goal and scoring as a whole is down. They absolutely need to review waived off goals, providing the puck was in the net prior to the whistle, because obviously refs make mistakes in allowing them and waiving them off.

[Echolalia 2,961]

no one is going to read this.

Maybe some temp, who is told to throw away all complaints from fans.

[XxGoWingsxX 0]

Thanks for the compliments. As far as where to send a letter...go to http://www.nhlofficials.com/ and go under the contact link and write one up if ya feel like it. Hopefully it's not on deaf ears but it probably is. Maybe if enough people start letting know how they feel, they'll take a 2nd look at something

[BlakChamber 8]

When you accuse the NHL of rigging the series and suggest that they favor certain teams over the other, they're probably not going to listen. All it does is make you come off as a whiney Red Wings fan.

[OsGOD 3]

When you accuse the NHL of rigging the series and suggest that they favor certain teams over the other, they're probably not going to listen. All it does is make you come off as a whiney Red Wings fan.

Which should be perfect considering they are used to (and appreciate) the efforts of a whiney Penguin Captain

[NHLrules? 32]

Im pretty sure no one at the NHL head office can read.

You should have send a picture letter.

[Firehawk 305]

What the NHL should do in cases like last night's late disallowed goal is make it reviewable, and if the puck is clearly not under a body, and the ref is just out of position and stopping play, the call should be reversed and it should be a good goal. A puck that's loose but under a body should be kept the same as now, blow the whistle, review that and still say no goal.

But yesterday was an atrocity. The puck clearly was wide open in the paint and because the ref is a retard and caught out of position, he stopped play. This should have been one where he consulted with the ref at the red line, who had a great view of the front.

[OsGOD 3]

The NHL should devise a "smart puck" that links via bluetooth to the refs whistle... when it is in play and not covered the refs Whistle will not work

[#1ozzie30fan 0]

This league's officiating is an absolute joke I used to watch every game that was on TV besides the Wings, when it was on ESPN before the lockout, now I can arley stand to watch 10 min. of a game at a time if its not the Wings. The officiating is so horrible that the hockey being played is brought down a level cause no one knows what they can and can not do its sad but I think if this continues the league will eventualy dissolve, Bettman needs to be thrown out. And who the hell decided Brad Watson was a good enough official to ref in the playoffs and then stil good enough to ref the 2nd round?

[RyanK 1]

I too sent a letter:

I am not sure where this letter will go or if it will have any effect what so ever but even if in vain, I must speak on something that is very troubling to me. The tie game goal by Marian Hossa last night against the Ducks that was called off was one of the worst things that has happened to the game since Feb 1, 1993. Gary Bettman has absolutely ruined this game for true fans in an attempt to attract a new fan base. How long do you expect people to stick around when they take a liking to a team, say the Red Wings, and they watch the horrid officiating rob their favorite team of a potential win. Or how about the Washington Cap's fans who watch their star goaltender bulled over with an intentional attempt to injure and there is nothing called. This is a travesty for the NHL and something must be done to even out the officiating. One second a quick tap of the stick to the ankle in an attempt to poke check is slashing, and in another second a guy can get hooked down to the ice and no call. Fix this. I am an old time true fan of the game, and I recognize its obvious faults. Many of which have become more apparent after the lockout. I am disgusted with the terrible officiating and I am disgusted with Gary Bettman. I'd like to both of these elements removed from my favorite sport. Of course, I am not naive enough to think this letter is going anywhere but in the trash. The NHL doesn't care about its fans anymore. Thanks a lot.

Ryan

[Guest lilja4mvp]

your letter was a monumental waste of time.

[Krystal 41]

The NHL should devise a "smart puck" that links via bluetooth to the refs whistle... when it is in play and not covered the refs Whistle will not work

Sounds neat, but how would they whistle down penalties?

[RyanK 1]

your letter was a monumental waste of time.

No more than ----^ post.

[Chris L 0]

Great heart, XxGoWingsxX, but its too long. Shorten it considerably. Get to your points fast and hard and your case and sentiments will ring louder to whomever reads that.

[Vladifan 680]

your letter was a monumental waste of time.

And the above offering was....?....

[Guest lilja4mvp]

you're comparing my 8 word post to the long-winded whine-fest this guy sent to the league, assuming that they actually care?

really?

[XxGoWingsxX 0]

you're comparing my 8 word post to the long-winded whine-fest this guy sent to the league, assuming that they actually care?

really?

And you're just out and out being a ****** bag. And I thought Bettman was the only ******* I'd hate right now. You don't like it? Ignore it. Otherwise, move the f*** on.

[wingslionstigers 12]

One period they get away with such things as a stick reaching around and touching another players glove aka "Hooking" (or a joke of a call) and the next period they can haul people down and it flies.

Needs to be fixed to clarify the point your trying to make.

One period they don't get away with such things as a stick reaching around and touching another players glove aka "Hooking" (or a joke of a call) and the next period they can haul people down and it flies

[Broken 16 381]

The thing that kills me is that years back they went to the current two ref system to help encourage consistency. Ya... that panned out. It actually made it worse. Lol...

[teckaholic 0]

Do you think that letter will do anything? You just wasted a hour of your life.

I am not trying to be a jerk but what are you asking for? For them to give you a extra couple calls on Thursday?

The refs made a mistake, end of story. You would be saying the Ducks fans are whining if it happened to us. Games over...now you guys need to step up and score some goals.