Be it any sport, including NHL, coaches are very passionate about their teams. After all, they pour their blood and sweat in order to ensure that their teams work hard and get to the top. During actual matches, adrenaline runs high, and it is normal for the coaches to get stressed. What might really make them lose their temper is adverse calls from the referees.

While referees are not usually fan or team favorites, one thing that NHL does not tolerate is misconduct against its officials. This is why the San Jose Sharks’ coach David Quinn is facing a heft $25,000 fine for cussing out the referee during a game.

Fans express displeasure for NHL referees

The incident took place during a game between the Sharks and the Capitals. When the news was shared by a Facebook page named Let’s Go Flyers, fans did not waste any time expressing their resentment at the referees of NHL. One NHL fan called the entire situation a “sh*t show”. Another commenter called the NHL mediocre and wrote, “What more do you want?!? It’s Gary Bettmans league where mediocrity is applauded, rewarded and the best you’re going to get!“

Someone supported the players and coaches and slammed the referees by saying, “And this is why the “officiating” won’t get better any time soon. As long as team personnel are banned from bad-mouthing the officials & the officials aren’t punished for blatant bad calls/non-calls, the zebras will continue calling games for one team instead of impartially officiating them.”

Another fan called out the hypocrisy of the situation and commented, “ohhh the poor reffy weffys cant take it when they are called out for the sh*t show they call sometimes.? If you cant take the get the hell off the ice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OR do your damn job correctly!!!!!!!!!!”

“Hockey refs suck big time. He’s probably right in what he said,” wrote another person.

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“Don’t pay the fine Officials deserves to be called out when they can’t do their jobs correctly.”

“They should show the call he’s arguing about.”

In general, people were angry about the fact that the referees could get away with a lot. On the other end, they enjoy sanctioned immunity which means anyone speaking against them will be raddled with fines. Whatever the reason for this particular fight, this is not the first and the last time that the NHL world will witness an event like this.

David Quinn is not the first or the last

The day was a bad one for the Sharks, as they lost to the Capitals. In addition to that, their coach David Quinn got into an expletive-filled match with the referee Gord Dwyer following a hooking call against Sharks winger Kevin Labanc in the third period. Because of this tirade, Quinn was issued a $25,000 fine by the NHL citing the grounds of “conduct demeaning the officials.” According to sources, Quinn was himself regretful and said, “I’m embarrassed. You shouldn’t act like that as a coach and I want to apologize to our team. It’s not how I certainly want to act.”

In the past, NHL has been witness to many coach-referee controversies. After Game 3 of 1988’s conference finals, New Jersey Devils coach Jim Schoenfeld confronted referee Don Koharski. The confrontation was bad enough that the referees went on strike. In 2020, youth hockey coach Brian Pouliot fought with a referee and spat in his face. This led to his ejection from the game. Ultimately, the coach was fired from the organization.

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