Is there any really intrepid sports reporter out there? Or hockey fan? Or even a psychology or statistical student working on an Masters or PhD about bias in sports?
If there is, I have a brilliant idea for you: one that has the potential of not only making you VERY famous (tv appearances, a book, a movie, a song?) , while also giving you the power to positively impact the NHL for decades to come.
Why not monitor the NHL playoffs, soon to kick off, to see if there’s any bias in refereeing when Canadian hockey teams play US hockey teams! For the entire playoff season. The potential findings could be of HUGE importance ..and it’s a lot easier to do than it may seem.
Many hockey fans, including this one, sense there is inequality in the numbers of penalties called when Canadian teams play against their American counterparts during playoffs.
Why? Because NHL referees are human …make subjective decisions of what/when to call penalties … and what/when not to call penalties.
And, in my case, I suspect those subjective decisions can be impacted because referees are well aware … directly or subliminally, that the NHL has a real vested financial interest in having at least one, AND MAYBE EVEN BOTH teams that make it to the big finals, be American. In fact, I have to admit that if I was a member of the NHL brass …or financial officer… the last thing I would want to see is a Stanley Cup final series involving ,say, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
But two BIG MARKET American teams, or a Canadian-US showdown… Ka-ching!!!
Is there really any bias in the overall number of penalties called? I don’t have any statistics…and I’m sure the NHL would vehemently and emphatically deny it, but I know MANY hockey fans, especially in Canada, supsect there is.
Why not prove them wrong.
And just imagine if the statistics this coming hockey playoff seaason would prove them right!
It wouldn’t be that difficult to do for someone with the time/resources to take on the task. (A newspaper or sports network should take the task on … but most of them have a vested interest in their home teams or the NHL, they don’t want to know, even if there is bias.).
This is where a true devoted fan or university could write a GREAT paper on the results ..especially if the penalty-call gap proves substantial. And if it show NO preferential overload, wouldn’t that be great for the sport?
And it all could be done by just collating penalty results from various games listed in the daily newspaper each day. And if the aim is to determine possible bias on a national basis, games between two teams from the same country could even be ignored, making it all even easier to do. (But KEEP your clippings, in case the results are so outrageous, the NHL or media question their accuracy.)
Of course, by actually watching the games, an added dimension …although highly subjective ….could be added: is there any bias in what/when penalties are NOT called. Especially if and when US teams are close to elimination … or potential series victory.
What an impact this could have!
If announced in advance by some media source, grad student or educational institution interested in sports or psychology, just the knowledge the results are being looked at in this way could result in a fairer series … which is all real sports fans want.
And if done privately and quietly, and a substantial bias IS found, the outcome would make a great story at the end of the playoff season.
And help change NHL hockey playoffs for the better forever after.
Harv Oberfeld
14 responses so far ↓
1 Lew // Feb 25, 2012 at 6:04 pm
Checking the results in newspaper clippings for total penalties to each team won’t cut it. Close examination of video would be better. Have a panel of three watch each game independently and then convene to compare observations. They should look for missed calls, phantom infractions, and consistency in applying penalties to see if there are trends.
It seems to me the NHL’s Director of Officiating should already be doing this. Maybe Mr. Gregson would like to share some of his findings….
(Response: Analysing every video would be a full time job. And I think any NHL officials could be accused of bias in assessing whether there’s any anti-Canada bias: after all, they too know where the big bucks come from that butter their own bread. Tallying the number of penalties called against Canadian teams versus the number called against US teams could show it’s all quite fair…but think of the implications IF a huge gap was revealed…right there in black and white. h.o)
2 Lew // Feb 25, 2012 at 9:16 pm
My tongue was in my cheek with respect to Gregson. Still, the simple quantity of penalties doesn’t prove anything. It might be a starting point if there’s a really obvious gap, but there are still many variables that could be argued unless you’re able to look at what was called and what wasn’t and consistently demonstrate the bias with actual examples.
I don’t think it will be a full-time job because there’s only going to be one Canadian team in the playoffs anyway, right?
(Response: Unless there are two US teams that make it to the fnals! Two Canadian teams …don’t ever bet on that. h.o)
3 Lew // Feb 25, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Sorry to post so often on this topic, but for your info here are the penalty stats for last year’s Canucks playoff run:
1. Chicago 27 penalties for 76 minutes. Canucks 40 penalties for 128 minutes.
2. Nashville 22 penalties for 46 minutes. Canucks 25 penalties for 50 minutes.
3. San Jose 31 penalties for 100 minutes. Canucks 29 penalties for 95 minutes.
4. Boston 52 penalties for 181 minutes. Canucks 45 penalties for 172 minutes.
The difference in the totals for the Chicago series is due to 6 ten-minute misconduct penalties to the Canucks vs 2 to the Hawks. If you remember, they were well deserved, and not the result of bias, in games where the Canucks lost their composure, losing 7-2 and 5-0. So if you disregard those, you have 303 penalty minutes for the opposition, and 305 for the Canucks throughout the playoffs. Pretty even, I’d say.
(Response: Great info….what’s the source? Sure looks like Chicago caught a break! And the Boston thugs, also got away, in my view, with a lot too! Even if, overall, generally very even that’s only Canucks series: wonder if some Canadian teams that were eliminated earlier had the same experience? That’s why a serious complete study would be great. h.o)
4 JR // Feb 26, 2012 at 12:39 am
I watch a lot of hockey and the missed calls or even up calls are where the story would probably lie. Over the course of a series the total number of assessments tend to even out but the tone of the games can be one sided. We will all tend to favour our home team and look at what we see as a missed call but the opponents fans are also in the same boat. Discretion is a valuable tool but only if it applied evenly. I do not have all the statistics but you have proposed a great idea.
(Response: I agree on the hometown bias. But last year I watched many games involving teams I personally couldn’t care less about …and just got that “feeling” that US teams were getting breaks when they needed them and Canadian teams were being nailed much more critically. I just want to be proved wrong … by overall statistics for the entire playoffs. Because I’ll bet I’m going to get that feeling again …. that US teams get a bit of an edge …. within a few weeks! h.o)
5 Lew // Feb 26, 2012 at 1:39 am
The source is the NHL website. You can go back in each team’s schedule and get stats for every game. With regard to other teams, the only other Canadian team last year was Montreal, and they were eliminated by Boston who took 79 minutes in penalties to 54 for Montreal. Here’s an example of the game stats:
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20102011/GS030234.HTM
(Response: Thanks. If you Google “NHL referee bias” there are many fans who believe there is bias: this topic cries out for a reporter or analyst to collate it all … and see if there IS a national bias, at least statistically. Of course, real sports reporters could also recount tale after tale of close or critical games where calls, or the lack of them, affected the outcome. This is BIG business, the stakes are very high …and those who cover it should do the legwork to prove or disprove the suspicions or fears of any league-wide bias. h.o)
6 larben // Feb 26, 2012 at 1:45 am
O right Harv, like we need more contention in the media, now you want it in sports? I suspect you are trying to let the politicians and the journalists of the hook. Still, this might occasion less opprobrium. Might even help bring down my blood pressure; but of course, that would depend on whose ox is being gored (as Rafe used to say).
7 13 // Feb 26, 2012 at 3:25 am
Harvey, I was arguing with one of my kids (30 year old) about how most sports are fixed to some extent. Not all as bad as the WWF but to some extent they all fall short of perfection. Coaches ,owners , and fans all can influence outcomes. Any coach or GM whining to the media about unfair reffing. Or complaining about another team playing rough. Fans cheering loud enough to drown out play calling.
Even the pure competion of track and field or olympics suffer from dopping and corupt judges.
Nascar was the topic that my son wants to believe is not fixed. I asked him if he ever thought that some wrecks were perpetrated by slower cars to help teammates.
So I can only agree that the NHL is as suspect as all the others. Refs coaches GMs and drugs. Not to mention goons hurting the so called elite players. I like to bet on hockey games and ignoring the stats and betting on trends can be profitable.
(Response: The coaches, of course, are not exactly unbiased themselves. However the NHL shuts them up quite quickly if they openly criticize the refereeing as unfair. That’s where an overall compilation of statistics of Canadian vs US teams would make for really interesting reading. And it wouldn’t take that much for any sports media outlet to do it …if they dare. h.o)
8 Hans Goldberg // Feb 26, 2012 at 4:47 pm
Great idea, Harv. I stopped watching NHL hockey precisely because of this feeling. The Boston series was an abomination. In one comment about one of the games, that it is like watching the WWF. Also momentum plays a large roll in hockey, one or a couple strategic penalties will kill momentum quickly.
(Response: I remember watching a faceoff in the Boston series in Boston: a Boston thug kept slashing …SEVERAL TIMES ….the ankle of the Canucks player as they waited for the linesman to drop the puck. Yet somehow NEITHER referee noticed …even though there were SEVERAL slashes at the ankle. Incompetence? Bias? Or maybe slashing IS allowed BEFORE the puck is dropped? But I see enough “mistakes” like that to certainly make me, and apparently many other “fans” wonder! h.o)
9 Henri // Feb 26, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Here is some Interesting read on this topic from the wikipedia site .
Stéphane Auger (born December 9, 1970, in Montreal, Quebec) is a National Hockey League (NHL) referee who wears uniform number 15
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C3%A9phane_Auger
(Response: Really interesting! We all know they are only human and make subjective decisions. But when there’s a possibility decisions can be made for NHL (and ultimately personal) financial gain, it serves the sport and the fans well if someone keeps a close eye on whether US teams get an aritificial boost through the officiating. In fact, in view of the belief by so many things are not always done fairly, the NHL should compile and release Canadian vs. US teams penalty stats themselves. h.o)
10 crh // Feb 28, 2012 at 10:42 am
Hockey schmockey
11 Eric // Feb 29, 2012 at 6:50 pm
A referee is never totally unbiased. I have reffed hockey up to Junior for 12 years and a lot of things will influence how you call the game, but I can tell you that with the vast majority of referees, if you think they try to get certain teams to win, you overestimate how much they care about the league making financial gains. They are there to do a job. What does influence officials to start becoming unbiased are things like whiny teams, players and coaches, Teams that dive or embellish to draw calls and players who are chippy. Any team that is very whiny will have a hard time getting calls, bottom line. The referee will make damn sure its a penalty because teams that start whining, don’t deserve to get any breaks. Same thing with the embellishers.
12 Auth // Mar 29, 2012 at 7:17 pm
I worked up a quick list and I went back to the 2000-01 ssaeon. Here’s the list but it requires a little bit of explanation:1) Read the information under each team in the following order (GP % W L T OTL GF GA PTS SEED GP W L GF GA) keeping in mind that the last 5 figures represent the playoff performance of each team.2) The New York Islanders are the only team to have made this list after the lockout ssaeon, therefore their numbers will be one less than that of the others because the NHL used to indicate W L T OTL.3) The winning percentage was derived by dividing wins by games played.2000-01 San Jose Sharks82 .487 40 27 12 3 217 192 95 5 6 2 4 11 162001-02 Montreal Canadiens82 .439 36 31 12 3 207 209 87 8 12 6 6 32 392001-02 Ottawa Senators82 .475 39 27 9 7 243 208 94 7 12 7 5 29 182001-02 Phoenix Coyotes82 .487 40 27 9 6 228 210 95 6 5 1 4 7 132001-02 Los Angeles Kings82 .487 40 27 11 4 214 190 95 7 7 3 4 13 162002-03 Washington Capitals82 .475 39 29 8 6 224 220 92 6 6 2 4 15 142002-03 Anaheim Mighty Ducks82 .487 40 27 9 6 203 193 95 7 21 15 6 45 402003-04 New York Islanders82 .463 38 29 11 4 237 210 91 8 5 1 4 5 122003-04 Nashville Predators82 .463 38 29 11 4 216 217 91 8 6 2 4 9 122003-04 St. Louis Blues82 .475 39 30 11 2 191 198 91 7 5 1 4 9 122003-04 Philadelphia Flyers82 .487 40 21 15 6 229 186 101 3 18 11 7 50 432003-04 Colorado Avalanche82 .487 40 22 13 7 236 198 100 4 11 6 5 26 242006-07 New York Islanders82 .487 40 30 12 248 240 92 8 5 1 4 11 17You’ve got me motivated to finish the spread. If you leave this question open for another day, I’ll have a much more comprehensive list that goes back to 1926-27, the year the NHL had sole proprietorship of the Stanley Cup.As promised, here’s the better list:GP PCT W L OL GF GA PT SD GP W L GF GA2006-07 New York Islanders82 .487 40 30 12 248 240 92 8 5 1 4 11 17GP PCT W L T OTL GF GA PT SD GP W L GF GA2003-04 Philadelphia Flyers82 .487 40 21 15 6 229 186 101 3 18 11 7 50 432003-04 Colorado Avalanche82 .487 40 22 13 7 236 198 100 4 11 6 5 26 242003-04 St. Louis Blues82 .475 39 30 11 2 191 198 91 7 5 1 4 9 122003-04 Nashville Predators82 .463 38 29 11 4 216 217 91 8 6 2 4 9 122003-04 New York Islanders82 .463 38 29 11 4 237 210 91 8 5 1 4 5 122002-03 Anaheim Mighty Ducks82 .487 40 27 9 6 203 193 95 7 21 15 6 45 402002-03 Tampa Bay Lightning82 .439 36 25 16 5 219 210 93 3 11 5 6 22 292002-03 Washington Capitals82 .475 39 29 8 6 224 220 92 6 6 2 4 15 142002-03 Edmonton Oilers82 .439 36 26 11 9 231 230 92 8 6 2 4 11 202002-03 Boston Bruins82 .439 36 31 11 4 245 237 87 7 5 1 4 8 132002-03 New York Islanders82 .426 35 34 11 2 224 231 83 8 5 1 4 7 132001-02 Phoenix Coyotes82 .487 40 27 9 6 228 210 95 6 5 1 4 7 132001-02 Los Angeles Kings82 .487 40 27 11 4 214 190 95 7 7 3 4 13 162001-02 Ottawa Senators82 .475 39 27 9 7 243 208 94 7 12 7 5 29 182001-02 Carolina Hurricanes82 .426 35 26 16 5 217 217 91 3 23 13 10 47 432001-02 Montreal Canadiens82 .439 36 31 12 3 207 209 87 8 12 6 6 32 392000-01 San Jose Sharks82 .487 40 27 12 3 217 192 95 5 6 2 4 11 162000-01 Edmonton Oilers82 .475 39 28 12 3 243 222 93 6 6 2 4 13 162000-01 Los Angeles Kings82 .463 38 28 13 3 252 228 92 7 13 7 6 25 342000-01 Toronto Maple Leafs82 .451 37 29 11 5 232 207 90 7 11 7 4 28 242000-01 Vancouver Canucks82 .439 36 28 11 7 239 238 90 8 4 0 4 9 162000-01 Carolina Hurricanes82 .463 38 32 9 3 212 225 88 8 6 2 4 8 20GP PCT W L T RT GF GA PT SD GP W L GF GA1999-00 Los Angeles Kings82 .475 39 27 12 4 245 228 94 5 4 0 4 6 151999-00 Phoenix Coyotes82 .475 39 31 8 4 232 228 90 6 5 1 4 10 171999-00 Pittsburgh Penguins82 .451 37 31 8 6 241 236 88 7 11 6 5 31 231999-00 Edmonton Oilers82 .390 32 26 16 8 226 212 88 7 5 1 4 11 141999-00 San Jose Sharks82 .426 35 30 10 7 225 214 87 8 12 5 7 27 371999-00 Buffalo Sabres82 .426 35 32 11 4 213 204 85 8 5 1 4 8 14GP PCT W L T GF GA PT SD GP W L GF GA1998-99 Philadelphia Flyers82 .451 37 26 19 231 196 93 5 6 2 4 11 91998-99 Boston Bruins82 .475 39 30 13 214 181 91 6 12 6 6 30 271998-99 Buffalo Sabres82 .451 37 28 17 207 175 91 7 21 14 7 59 491998-99 Phoenix Coyotes82 .475 39 31 12 205 197 90 4 7 3 4 16 191998-99 Pittsburgh Penguins82 .463 38 30 14 242 225 90 8 13 6 7 35 361998-99 St. Louis Blues82 .451 37 32 13 237 209 87 5 13 6 7 31 331998-99 Carolina Hurricanes82 .414 34 30 18 210 202 86 3 6 2 4 10 161998-99 Anaheim Mighty Ducks82 .426 35 34 13 215 206 83 6 4 0 4 6 171998-99 San Jose Sharks82 .402 33 31 18 197 191 80 7 6 2 4 17 191998-99 Edmonton Oilers82 .402 33 37 12 230 226 78 8 4 0 4 7 111997-98 Pittsburgh Penguins82 .487 40 24 18 228 188 98 5 6 2 4 15 181997-98 Colorado Avalanche82 .475 39 26 17 231 205 95 7 7 3 4 16 191997-98 Washington Capitals82 .487 40 30 12 219 202 92 8 21 12 9 53 441997-98 Boston Bruins82 .475 39 30 13 221 194 91 9 6 2 4 13 151997-98 Buffalo Sabres82 .439 36 29 17 211 187 89 10 15 10 5 46 321997-98 Los Angeles Kings82 .463 38 33 11 227 225 87 11 4 0 4 8 161997-98 Montreal Canadiens82 .451 37 32 13 235 208 87 12 10 4 6 28 321997-98 Ottawa Senators82 .414 34 33 15 193 200 83 13 11 5 6 20 301997-98 Phoenix Coyotes82 .426 35 35 12 224 227 82 14 6 2 4 18 241997-98 Edmonton Oilers82 .426 35 37 10 215 224 80 15 12 5 7 24 251997-98 San Jose Sharks82 .414 34 38 10 210 216 78 16 6 2 4 12 161996-97 Detroit Red Wings82 .463 38 26 18 253 197 94 5 20 16 4 58 381996-97 Buffalo Sabres82 .487 40 30 12 237 208 92 6 12 5 7 27 341996-97 Florida Panthers82 .426 35 28 19 221 201 89 7 5 1 4 10 131996-97 New York Rangers82 .463 38 34 10 258 231 86 8 15 9 6 36 351996-97 Anaheim Mighty Ducks82 .439 36 33 13 245 233 85 9 11 4 7 25 301996-97 Pittsburgh Penguins82 .463 38 36 8 285 280 84 10 5 1 4 13 201996-97 Phoenix Coyotes82 .463 38 37 7 240 243 83 11 7 3 4 17 171996-97 St. Louis Blues82 .439 36 35 11 236 239 83 12 6 2 4 12 131996-97 Edmonton Oilers82 .439 36 37 9 252 247 81 13 12 5 7 32 371996-97 Chicago Blackhawks82 .414 34 35 13 223 210 81 14 6 2 4 14 281996-97 Ottawa Senators82 .378 31 36 15 226 234 77 15 7 3 4 13 141996-97 Montreal Canadiens82 .378 31 36 15 249 276 77 16 5 1 4 11 221995-96 Chicago Blackhawks82 .487 40 28 14 273 220 94 6 10 6 4 30 281995-96 Boston Bruins82 .487 40 31 11 282 269 91 8 5 1 4 16 221995-96 Montreal Canadiens82 .487 40 32 10 265 248 90 9 6 2 4 17 191995-96 Washington Capitals82 .475 39 32 11 234 204 89 10 6 2 4 17 211995-96 Tampa Bay Lightning82 .463 38 32 12 238 248 88 11 6 2 4 13 261995-96 Toronto Maple Leafs82 .414 34 36 12 247 252 80 12 6 2 4 15 211995-96 St. Louis Blues82 .390 32 34 16 219 248 80 13 13 7 6 37 371995-96 Calgary Flames82 .414 34 37 11 241 240 79 14 4 0 4 7 161995-96 Vancouver Canucks82 .390 32 35 15 278 278 79 15 6 2 4 17 241995-96 Winnipeg Jets82 .439 36 40 6 275 291 78 16 6 2 4 10 201994-95 New Jersey Devils48 .458 22 18 8 136 121 52 9 20 16 4 67 341994-95 Washington Capitals48 .458 22 18 8 1
13 Kevin // Apr 3, 2012 at 6:36 pm
Unfortunately the while I agree, the bias won’t be reflected in the stats. The problem is not what the referees do call but rather what they don’t.
Referees tend to ensure they enforce “make up” calls when they realize they have blown a call. This results in penalty statistics that “even” things out.
I think what infuriates most fans are the “non-calls” that they either miss or blatantly ignore. This is what had Vancouver fans upset in the finals last year.
Everyone tends to forget that Daniel Sedin was given a 10 minute misconduct for having the gall to ask the referee when he was going to call a penalty after taking 5-6 punches to the head by Marchand. Neither Sutherland or O’Halloran were indicating a penalty until Sedin asked the question and he received a misconduct.
The referees should not be protected by the league in these circumstances and should be forced to explain their ruling. Unfortunately they are only accountable to the NHL, not the players association or the fans, hence the suspicion of impropriety.
(Reposnse: I agree with you regarding what is NOT called, but of course that’s so subjective there’s no way accurately quantify it. But the Sedin case makes the point for all to see. I’ve seen him repeatedly crosschecked, boarded with no calls … but then he speaks up as a Captain is supposed to be allowed ,and HE gets nailed. It stinks. And we should let thre NHL brass know more and more of us are WATCHING and we SEE how their “system” works…. and we’re not impressed. h.o)
14 Terry Gee // Apr 24, 2012 at 4:52 am
for fans angry about the biased officiating in this years nhl playoffs, remember, the real director of NHL officials is the NBC television network. this network [feel free to double-check to see if my info is correct] thru Comcast is part of the ownership group of the philadelphia flyers. more importantly NBC is looking at the New York Rangers and LA Kings as their big ratings winners for the next month and a half. Canadian teams need not apply and are not welcome as the playoffs continue. for NBC, Canada is a ratings loser. The sponsors hope to benefit from NBC’s ratings//refereeing strategy. a couple of these sponsors are Discover Card, Geico, BudLite and McDonalds. i will be looking to e-mail my opinions of their compliance with NBC’s tactics in the hope that Canadian money has some importance to them. i will also try to ferret out more sponsors of the NBC hockey league.
sometimes spitting into the wind is all you can do.
Leave a Comment
CAPTCHA Code is needed.