Bad Referees Are Not Really Bad News

There has always been an assumption that bad referees can throw a game through poor performance. But this may be more on the side of excited spectators than players. A study at the University of Illinois found that referees were not susceptible to intimidation or favoritism by fans. Officials get scapegoated for honest mistakes and attempts to guide a game along but no one ever points out that it is the players who commit the penalty. Moreover, it is the teams, leagues, and USA Hockey that train and hire any referee. In the end it is up to the players and coaching staff to play the game, and both teams get the same referee when they play. Contact your league if you have an issue with a referee, after all, the refs are just doing a job.