Nashville Predators News & Notes
Nashville Predators One Thing Wednesday: Hair For It | On the Forecheck
ICYMI: Let’s talk about hair, baby. Let’s talk about ‘staches and goatees.
Predators Prospect Report: March 24 | Nashville Predators
The team has put out a formal update for all their prospects across the globe.
The Tim Peel Situation
NHL says referee Tim Peel will no longer work games after hot mic incident | Sportsnet
Predators’ Matt Duchene on hot mic incident: ‘You gotta call the game’ | Sportsnet
Referee Tim Peel no longer will be working NHL games now or in the future. https://t.co/mrnDc61W5P pic.twitter.com/tKsg2SwGh8
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 24, 2021
So this was the story that dominated the hockey news cycle yesterday, and rightfully so. I’ll preface my thoughts on this matter by saying that I don’t like Tim Peel, and I know everyone reading this doesn’t like Tim Peel either. Hell, I can’t imagine a living, breathing, hockey fan out there that would be willing to earnestly state, “Hey, you know who I like? Tim Peel.” I just can’t picture it.
That being said, I thought he might get a fine for this, and that would ultimately be it. I didn’t expect the league to go all fire and brimstone on him. This seems like a full-on “scorched earth” punishment by the NHL, and it makes you think that maybe we’ll see changes in officiating when it comes to make-up calls and “game management” by referees.
Well, at least on the surface it seems that way.
What’s important to remember is that Peel was going to retire next month anyways. So that automatically makes this whole thing seem more hollow. Couple that with the fact that there isn’t anything in the NHL’s statement that actually addresses the root cause of why what Peel did was wrong, and you feel like the NHL is just trying to cover their own ass and squash this controversy before it even starts.
And hey, I get it. Optics are everything nowadays, but it would’ve been nice for the NHL to delve a little deeper and explain exactly why they let Peel go. Put it out there, you know? Make the precedent known, and send a clear message to refs across the league that make-up calls and “game management” are not part of their job description.
Because right now, it seems like the message the NHL is sending to its refs is “don’t get caught.”
Other Hockey News & Notes
Montreal Canadiens games postponed through Sunday because of COVID-19 | ESPN
The NHL announced Tuesday that the Montreal Canadiens have had their games through Sunday postponed because of COVID-19 following the addition of Montreal forwards Joel Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.
Don’t Sleep On Islander Rookies Wahlstrom and Sorokin | The Hockey News on Sports Illustrated
The New York Islanders are jockeying for the top of the toughest division in the NHL for a lot of reasons, one of which is how impressive two of their first-year players have been this season.
Why it’s time for the Flames to split up Gaudreau and Monahan | Sportsnet
It’s not working. It hasn’t worked for the better part of two years, which played a significant role in the Flames’ playoff demise last season. Now, it’s becoming increasingly evident Darryl Sutter needs to split up Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan.
Which Recent NHL Draft Lottery Outcomes Led to the New Rule Changes? | The Hockey News on Sports Illustrated
What do the new lottery rules mean? The best way to understand them is to understand which specific previous results the NHL wants to avoid repeating.
Ottawa Senators forward Austin Watson out 4-6 weeks | TSN
Get well soon, old friend.
André Tourigny to coach Canada at 2022 world juniors, world championships | Sportsnet
André Tourigny has signed a one-year contract to serve as head coach of Canada at the 2022 world juniors and 2022 world championships, and as assistant at the 2021 worlds and 2022 Olympics in Beijing.