Here’s Rod Brind’Amour’s take on Tim Peel, the NHL ref fired after hot mic incident

There are times with Rod Brind’Amour that even in wearing a mask, his eyes betray his intense anger as he yells at the referees from behind the bench during games.

That’s not to say the Carolina Hurricanes coach does not respect the NHL referees. Brind’Amour does, and has said so, often.

“We have the hardest game to officiate,” Brind’Amour said on a media call Wednesday. “It’s too hard live. I don’t know how these guys do it. They’re phenomenal in what they do. ... They get it right 90 percent of the time but we live in a world where you’ve got to get it right 100 percent of the time.”

All that Brind’Amour wants, like any other coach, is that the referees do their job fairly and hopefully correctly, understanding there will be mistakes made.

But what happened in the NHL on Tuesday was a black-eye for the league. Referee Tim Peel called a tripping penalty against the Predators’ Viktor Arvidsson and was heard on a live mic saying, “It wasn’t much but I wanted to get a (expletive) penalty against Nashville early.”

After the Predators won 2-0, Nashville coach John Hynes was asked about Peel and said, “I think it’s an issue that the league will have to take care of.

The NHL did, moving swiftly. Colin Campbell, the NHL senior vice president of hockey operations, released a statement Wednesday saying Peel would no longer work NHL games “now or in the future.”

“Nothing is more important than ensuring the integrity of our game,” Campbell said in the statement. “Tim Peel’s conduct is in direct contradiction to the adherence to the cornerstone principle that we demand of our officials and that our fans, players, coaches and all those associated with our game expect and deserve.”

An end to a long career

Peel has worked in the NHL since October 1999 and had said he planned to retire after this season. It was abrupt ending to the veteran’s long career.

Brind’Amour has as a player and coach had games involving Peel.

“He’s been around forever and he was well-respected by everyone in the business,” Brind’Amour said Wednesday. “You’re always going to have run-ins with refs. It’s just part of it. But if you met him after games or see him in various places he’s just a good person.

“I hate to see that happen the way it did. It’s unfortunate really because he had a good career. ... Everybody is human. We all make mistakes.”

Brind’Amour has discussed NHL officiating at times during his three years as head coach, drawing a $25,000 fine during the 2020 playoffs in Toronto for some heated postgame comments and saying, “This is why the league’s a joke.” The Hurricanes covered the cost, with owner Tom Dundon’s signature on the check easily seen on the tweet posted by the team.

Making calls on the fly

Brind’Amour has advocated having an extra official off the ice at games to quickly review calls.

The Canes gave up a late goal Saturday against Columbus, then lost in a shootout. In the final minute of regulation, the Blue Jackets pulled their goalie for a sixth attacker and had the puck in the Canes zone. Forward Patrik Laine dropped his stick but teammate Jack Roslovic used his stick to quickly push Laine’s stick back to him -- a penalty under NHL rules.

Seconds later, Laine passed to Seth Jones, who ripped a shot for the tying goal.

Asked about the play after the game and a penalty not being called, Brind’Amour said, “You’re preaching to the choir. It is what it is. It’s a rule. I don’t even get the rule. Why can’t the guy push his stick to him? What’s the difference? But that’s the rule.

“I don’t know. Our sport’s too hard to really referee live. You need a quick second look. It’ll come. It will be 20 years. I’ll be long gone when they get this figured out.”

Brind’Amour noted the coaches get a quick look at replays on the bench immediately after a play. If there is a mistake or missed call, they see it immediately.

“I get to look at it ten times before I can figure out if it was right or not,” he said. “They’ve got to make this on the fly. It’s too hard.”

Carolina Hurricanes vs Columbus Blue Jackets

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio.

TV: FSCR