Sports

NHL Must Treat the Disease, Not Just the Symptom – Sports Illustrated

Published

4 years ago

March 24, 2021

We should all remember what happened in Nashville Tuesday night the next time NHL commissioner Gary Bettman insists that the on-ice officials employed by his league are the best in the world. Because if this is what the best in the world has to offer, the league should be very concerned.

The NHL, of course, did what it had to do when it came to the Tim Peel situation. It simply could not allow an official who had been caught imposing himself on a game to ever step on the ice again. Full stop. And in that sense, it dealt with Peel harshly. The 53-year-old Peel was scheduled to retire after this season, with his final game set for April 24 according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. To not have the opportunity to leave the game on his own terms is certainly a heavy price for Peel to pay.

But on the other hand, the NHL, as is often the case, gets off extremely lucky here. Here it was, with a respected veteran official being caught on a hot mic saying, “It wasn’t much, but I wanted to get a f—in’ penalty against Nashville early in the…” before his mic was cut off. The NHL immediately said it was investigated, then came to a determination and sentence in a matter of hours. In the league’s statement on the matter, NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell said, “Nothing is more important that insuring the integrity of our game.”

The statement was interesting on a couple of fronts. First, why wasn’t the league commissioner making it? Second, it never actually said Peel had been fired, simply that he would, “no longer be working NHL games now or in the future.” And in that respect, it’s all pretty convenient, isn’t it? The way it worked out, the league addresses the isolated incident without having to do anything about, or even be accountable for, what is perceived to be a much wider problem. And in that respect, it got extremely lucky.

By dealing with it this way, we could be led to believe that Tim Peel, who has been officiating since 1999 and has worked more than 1,300 regular-season games, 90 playoff contests and the Sochi Olympics, had a momentary and unfortunate lapse in judgment one month before his career as an NHL referee was about to end. Meanwhile, we’ve been conditioned to expect phantom calls and non-calls from officials for years. We’ve come to accept that something that is a penalty in October is not in May. And we’ve watched for years as referees have stood 10 feet from a defenseman who is repeatedly crosschecking an opponent in the back with impunity, only to see that same official call a penalty later in the game for tapping an opponent with his stick.

“I hope (even-up calls are) not something that goes on with more officials,” Nashville Predators center Matt Duchene told a local radio station Wednesday morning, “but, I mean, there’s definitely nights where you’re skeptical of it, for sure.”

By relieving Peel of his duties without firing him, the league is spared the headache of having to overhaul its approach to officiating, which is exactly what is needed here. The NHL vowed immediately after the play that it was, “investigating this incident.” Well, that investigation should not end with a quick dismissal of a veteran referee. If the league truly wants to preserve its integrity, it needs to take a critical look at how it manages the games. A good number of fans and observers believe that Peel simply said out loud what every referee thinks privately. And until the league is held to account for its officials and the way it trains them, it’s going to remain that way.

What players, coaches and fans need to know is how exactly are these people being trained in game management? And what is actually being done, beyond words and platitudes, to ensure that the integrity of the game is being maintained? Prior to the 2019 Stanley Cup final, when asked about the quality of officiating in the playoffs, Bettman stood by his men in stripes. “The officials in this league are the best in the world, I believe,” Bettman said. “Not just in hockey, but in any sport.” Well, you can’t have it both ways. Either the officials can’t be near as good as Bettman says they are or they’re being directed to manage and call the game a certain way.

Just because the league escaped any meaningful consequences doesn’t mean it should be off the hook when it comes to officiating. “Imagine the scenario where (the Detroit Red Wings) score on the power play, we lose the game and we miss the playoffs by a point,” Duchene said in the radio interview. “I mean, imagine that scenario. That’s not out of the realm of possibility, right? I don’t think there’s a place in hockey for that. You’ve got to call the game.”

Even-up calls have been a part of hockey for as long as it has been played. We’ve all come to accept it, but we shouldn’t. There is no other sport where the standards for calling the rulebook vary more than they do in hockey. It doesn’t have to be that way. And we can only hope that the situation with Tim Peel starts this league on the road to realizing that.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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