NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tim Peel’s career as an NHL referee is over after his voice was picked up by a TV microphone saying he wanted to call a penalty against the Nashville Predators.
The league announced Wednesday that Peel “no longer will be working NHL games now or in the future.”
Referee Tim Peel no longer will be working NHL games now or in the future. https://t.co/mrnDc61W5P pic.twitter.com/tKsg2SwGh8
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 24, 2021
The 54-year-old Peel had already made plans to retire next month. NHL vice president Colin Campbell says there was no justification for Peel's comments. The NHL determined it was Peel's voice heard on the TV broadcast of the Predators 2-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
Peel could be heard saying the penalty wasn't much, but he wanted to call one against Nashville. The microphone was then cut off as as Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson was called for a tripping penalty early in the second period.
