Yahoo Finance 
Players weigh in on NHL's controversial decision to fire referee Tim Peel
Long-time NHL referee Tim Peel was caught on a live microphone during Tuesday’s game between the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings admitting to calling a make-up penalty.
The 53-year-old official was then briskly fired roughly 12 hours after the accident took place.
“Nothing is more important than ensuring the integrity of our game,” NHL senior executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell said in a press release.
The most dramatic firing of the 2020-21 season yet led to several players giving their opinion on the matter. One player who was no doubt directly involved with the event was Predators forward Matt Duchene, who spoke with the media about the ordeal.
"He's a veteran ref," Duchene said. "It's his last year anyway so I think that's maybe why they let him go rather than maybe suspending him or fining him. The crazy thing is he was talking to Filip Forsberg in that clip and he told our bench that. Really bizarre. I just think that can't happen.
"Imagine the scenario where they score on that power play, we lose the game and we miss the playoffs by a point? Imagine that scenario. That could happen," Duchene continued. "That is not out of the realm of possibility. I don't think there's a place in hockey for that. You gotta call the game. I've always been frustrated when I see even-up calls or something like that. If one team is earning power plays you can't punish them because the other team is not.
"That call was not a good call on [Arvidsson]. We were watching and were like 'what the heck was that, that wasn't even close to a penalty.' It was bizarre. I hope that's not something that goes on with most officials, but there's definitely nights when you're skeptical of it for sure.”
Even retired official Kerry Fraser was asked for his opinion on what went down.
“There are so many hot mics around in a rink now that officials can't have any sort of private conversation, because somebody's always listening,” Fraser told The Athletic. “As an officiating crew, and ever since we've gone to the two-referee system, there's times in a game when the two referees consult with one another about the flow of the game, the requirements that each game needs. No two games are alike. The good referees — the great referees — have a feel for the game."
More current and former players took to social media to weigh in on the NHL's decision, which has garnered some mixed reactions.
I always liked Tim Peel. There’s a flow in NHL games that refs have to manage that might be tough to notice. They are human, and make mistakes, and sometimes get caught up in keeping that flow. Might be excessive 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ https://t.co/wriwZcelZK
— jason demers (@jasondemers5) March 24, 2021
Good Luck trying to get anyone in hockey to wear a hot mic again. I played my whole career knowing that referees controlled the game and make up calls was a part of it. I never thought this would be the end result. https://t.co/XFAOI3R02Y
— Carlo Colaiacovo (@CarloColaiacovo) March 24, 2021
Holy shit. Never did I think this would be the outcome of the hot mic. Make up calls have always been and will continue to be just part of the game. Tough way to go out for Tim Peel https://t.co/N8MZxZkyDz
— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) March 24, 2021
Spoke to a few players. All say Tim Peel is a good ref & good guy. Had a few post game beers w/ Peel years back and echo the same sentiment. I empathize with his situation, but if NHL is going down a gambling path, this can't happen. How does this impact policing the game now?
— James Cybulski (@JamesCybulski) March 24, 2021
Many parts to Peel story, with the human element being one of them, but the most important conversation from this has to be WHY?? Why is it accepted that makeup calls are ok, or "game management" is normal? WHY?? that's the change that needs to happen.
— Mike Johnson (@mike_p_johnson) March 24, 2021
Tavares: "I know from dealing with referees, they don't want to be the ones deciding the games. They want the two teams to do that. It's not an easy spot to be in." #Leafs
— Terry Koshan (@koshtorontosun) March 24, 2021
The optics of what happened here suck so the NHL had to take action. But off the cuff comments happen all the time in sport. I hope this decision wasn’t made in haste. Serious question - do the benefit of these microphones outweigh all the trouble they seem to cause? https://t.co/UF6rpkIFdK
— Peter Holland (@PeterHolland13) March 24, 2021
I feel a bit for Tim b/c it's a rotten way to end a career. He was in the league a long time and was to retire after this season. He made himself the easy scapegoat, and that much is on him. But who enabled it? His NHL bosses. Who is taking no accountability? The same.
— Paul Stewart (@PaulStewart22) March 24, 2021
More from Yahoo Sports:
