Ex-Ref Opens Up About Double Standards For Stars

Tim Peel, a former NHL referee who officiated over 1,300 regular season games and 90 playoff matches, has publicly admitted to giving star players preferential treatment.

During an interview with Jeremy Roenick, Peel explained that star players like Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin often received breaks because the fans come to games primarily to watch these top players. According to Peel, the spectators aren't there to watch a fourth-line player, but the superstars. However, Peel was clear in stating that certain offenses, like a cross-check to the head, would always be called irrespective of the player involved.

He countered the idea that decisions were made based on a team's reputation, arguing against the notion of avoiding suspensions because one team was perceived as better than another. Peel's candidness doesn't just stop here. He was dismissed from the NHL in 2021 after a live microphone captured him admitting to giving a "make-up call", intentionally penalized a team to offset a previous erroneous call against their opponents, a practice long suspected by fans but never confirmed until now.