The NHL announced on Wednesday that Tim Peel will no longer work games after the referee's comment about wanting to give the Predators a penalty was caught on a hot mic during Nashville's television broadcast.
In the Predators' 2-0 win Tuesday night over the Red Wings, Peel called Nashville winger Viktor Arvidsson for tripping just under five minutes into the second period. Inadvertently on the Predators' broadcast, he was heard explaining his call, saying, "It wasn’t much, but I wanted to get a f---ing penalty against Nashville early in the ..." before the audio cut out.
"Nothing is more important than ensuring the integrity of our game,” NHL senior executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell said in a statement released by the league Wednesday morning. “Tim Peel’s conduct is in direct contradiction to the adherence to that cornerstone principle that we demand of our officials and that our fans, players, coaches and all those associated with our game expect and deserve. There is no justification for his comments, no matter the context or his intention, and the National Hockey League will take any and all steps necessary to protect the integrity of our game."
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Peel, a 53-year-old veteran referee of 1,340-plus games, was set to retire following this season, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.
The last Flyers game Peel worked was the team's 4-3 win over the Penguins in Pittsburgh on March 4. Four penalties were called in the game — two on the Flyers, two on the Penguins.
Peel's candor, which happened to hit a hot mic, will surely fuel a longstanding debate of whether referees commit makeup calls or try to even the officiating throughout a game. Not just in hockey, but in all sports.
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