"Our parents and coaches preach that whining about the refs is a fool's errand. Off I go.
Will somebody please give Rick Nash a call?
There has long been a perception, not illogical, that NHL officiating is substandard. Hockey is fleet and violent at the highest level. It is difficult to call in the best of conditions and there is a dearth of quality referees, especially since the league went to the two-ref system in 1998-99. The situation is such that the retirements of Don Koharski in 2009 and Kerry Fraser and Dan Marouelli at the end of last season will be felt for another generation.
There is that. And there is this: NHL referees are supposed to be objective and they are, in the way that Fox News is fair and balanced. The classic example is the Stephane Auger incident from last season, when Auger clearly used his whistle as an agent of vendetta against Vancouver's Alexandre Burrows. Auger allegedly approached Burrows before the game, yet the league ruled that Auger's actions were "beyond reproach" after he hit Burrows with four penalties in the third period of a loss to the Nashville Predators.
Auger was on the ice Monday in Nationwide Arena when the Dallas Stars visited. Now, my opinion is that Auger isn't fit to referee a soccer game, but that is not exactly the point here. Also, all referees aren't like Auger, but that's not the point, either.
It is this: Auger (and Kevin Pollock) watched Nash get mugged, twice, and did nothing. The first occurrence came in overtime, when Nash was taken down with a hold, hook and/or high stick by Stephane Robidas; it was a multiple infraction and any call would have been justified. The second occurrence came a second or two after the horn ended the OT, when Nash was hit from behind by Steve Ott; the cheap shot caused a whiplash and ended in a face-plant.
It should be noted that the Blue Jackets were the beneficiary of a semi-soft call (Karlis Skrastins for holding R.J. Umberger) that put them on the power play and led to Nash's tying goal with 46.1 seconds remaining in regulation. So, the Jackets can't complain about Nash being mugged in OT; coach Scott Arniel said as much.
Do we call that a healthy brand of subjectivity?
If there is such a thing, will somebody please give Nash a call?
That is what this is about. Nash has 241 goals and 442 points in 542 career games. He has a Rocket Richard Trophy (leading goal scorer) and an Olympic gold medal. He is a player of stature. Yet, he is treated by referees as a third-line grinder. It is not right."
