Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at
cmonref@tsn.ca. Kerry, I hope you address Ron MacLeans comment during the second intermission of Game 4 in Montreal-Tampa series. Basically, he suggested that the NHL should not have used a referee from Quebec, following the Game 3 disputed non-goal, because the referee could be biased towards Montreal. Thank you,Bobby Dodd ---- Hi Kerry, On Tuesday, the host of the other playoff broadcaster said that a referee from the area should not have been assigned Game 4 of the Tampa-Montreal series after a controversial call Sunday involving another francophone Quebec referee. Do you agree with that sentiment? Coming off a game like Sundays, should that have been done if it was an official from Ontario for a Leafs game? Or a referee from B.C. for a Canucks game? Jamie Walker Bobby, Jamie and to all Canadians: Ron MacLean offered a very contrite apology for his initial inappropriate comments during a follow-up segment in the Hockey Night In Canada broadcast when he said, "First of all, I want to say Im sorry. Its divisive any time you become about French and English in our country. But I didnt intend to go down that path." We all need to accept Ron MacLeans apology. I have always had the utmost respect for Ron and his sincere apology speaks to the quality of the man more than the personality you see on camera. I know what Ron intended, even though it came out all wrong. There have been many times when the NHL felt the need to alter an officials assignment in an effort to manage a regular season or playoff series based on an incident that took place in a previous game. I called Director of Officiating Bryan Lewis one time when there was a overlap in the assignment process that would have resulted in me working six of seven road games for the Montreal Canadiens. It was just an assignment glitch that was quickly adjusted to avoid overexposure of a referee to one team. Another time, VP of Hockey Ops Brian Burke assigned me as a last-minute addition in a Habs-Flyers game after Lyle Odelein threatened to get Eric Lindros following a fight between the two players in the first game of a home and home series. I was also reassigned to work a return grudge match between Ottawa and the Leafs following a major battle they had a couple of nights earlier in Toronto. In the 2004 Stanley Cup Final between Calgary and Tampa, an initial assignment schedule for the refs was doomed to fail from the very beginning. The referee pairings of Bill McCreary/Stephen Walkom and Brad Watson and I were assigned to work all of our games in the same venue. (Watson and I were assigned to Games 3, 4 and 6 in Calgary while the other crew was in Tampa for 1, 2 and 5). Series traditionally heat up as they progress and it was a suicide mission to have the same refs work in the same venue. Following Game 5 in Tampa a meeting was held in the officials room and I was informed by Colin Campbell and then Director of Officiating Andy Van Hellemond that Brad Watson and I were off Game 6 in Calgary. Nobody informed Brad Watson and he learned of the change the next day at the Denver Airport when Wats overhead members of the media talking about the assignment change as they were connecting onto his flight to Calgary! I returned to work Game 7 in Tampa with Bill McCreary. These kinds of adjustments in the assignment process are reasonable and necessary at times. Ron MacLean, as a referee himself, would certainly understand this type of logic. What Ron should have thought of before he embarked down a self-admitted "divisive" path is that whenever he pulls on his striped jersey, hes no longer from his hometown or even a star television host. In that moment, and in the performance of his duties, Ron is an impartial, unbiased referee that is empowered to place his integrity and that of the game on the line. He cares not what teams are playing or if they are from the town that he lives in. It matters not to Ron what colour their team jerseys are or the crest on the front. It is his duty as a "referee" to perform to the very best of his ability without prejudice or bias. I know that Ron MacLean performs those duties without question every time he pulls on that striped jersey. NHL officials are no different in this regard. When they pull on stripes they are professional people with strong character and integrity. They too perform their duties to the best of their ability and are paid to be impartial. We can criticize an official for a poor call or even our perception of their level of competency. What should never be brought into question is any perceived bias based on where an official might make his home or his family heritage. The referee in Ron MacLean understands these facts as well as I do. Ron - a consummate professional and a man of character and integrity - sincerely apologized for his slip up and brief act of misconduct. As such Ron needs to be forgiven. Time to move forward. .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. .ca. Kerry, I hope you address Ron MacLeans comment during the second intermission of Game 4 in Montreal-Tampa series. Basically, he suggested that the NHL should not have used a referee from Quebec, following the Game 3 disputed non-goal, because the referee could be biased towards Montreal.
https://www.cheapavalanche.com/. Bozak and Clarkson suffered the injuries in pre-training camp workouts, according to Carlyle, who said they made "small amounts of improvement" from Friday to Saturday. After the players were deemed less than 100 per cent by doctors after Thursdays medical testing, the Leafs held them out of on-ice testing and are being cautious. .Dawson also birdied two of the last four holes to reach 12-under 132 on TPC San Antonios AT&T Canyons Course. He won his only title in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event in 2002 in the Web.com Tours LaSalle Bank Open.Im not going to lose any sleep, believe me, Dawson said. I used to be a perfectionist, but my attitude now is to play like Im in the pro-am. . Ellis had a season-high 37 points and two key assists late, Dirk Nowitzki led a fourth-quarter rally with 14 of his 35 points, and the Mavericks spoiled Howards best offensive night in Houston with a 123-120 victory over the Rockets on Wednesday night.DETROIT -- When David Price was finally traded, it was to an unexpected bidder. The Detroit Tigers added another Cy Young Award winner to their star-studded rotation, acquiring Price from Tampa Bay in a blockbuster deal Thursday. The Rays received left-hander Drew Smyly and minor league infielder Willy Adames from the Tigers. Tampa Bay also got infielder Nick Franklin from Seattle, with Detroit outfielder Austin Jackson going to the Mariners. The AL Central-leading Tigers are trying for their fourth consecutive division title, and their starting rotation was already a strength. General manager Dave Dombrowski decided to trade for Price anyway, giving Detroit a collection of stars on the mound that could be tough to match in any post-season series. "The question that we asked ourselves is: What gives us the best chance of winning the world championship this year?" Dombrowski said. "We thought adding him to our rotation at this point would give us the best chance to do that." The deal came just hours after the Oakland Athletics got an ace of their own, Jon Lester from the Boston Red Sox Price joins Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the Detroit rotation, giving the Tigers the last three American League Cy Young winners. The Tigers are the first team with three pitchers on the staff who have all won Cy Young Awards over the previous three seasons, according to STATS. "Today its great, its nice, its fine. I love to have David Price," Dombrowski said. "If we win, then Ill be very satisfied." Jackson was removed from Detroits game against the Chicago White Sox with one out in the top of the seventh inning. As he jogged in from centre field, he got a nice hand from the home fans, many of whom no doubt understood the significance of the substitution moments before the trade deadline. Prices departure became a clear possibility when the Rays fell way behind in the AL East race earlier this season. Tampa Bay has played much better over the last month and entered Thursday only 5 1/2 games behind a wild card -- but the Rays decided to deal their ace anyway. "Compared to the other possibilities, it was by far the most prudent thing that we could do for the best interests of the franchise," said Andrew Friedman, Tampa Bays vice-president of baseball operations. "If you look ahead to next year, it would have been really challenging to be as good as we want to be within our situation, with David taking up that meaningful of a percentage of our payroll. So everything we do is in the vein of how to be compeetitive in the near term and also the long term.dddddddddddd" Tweeted Rays manager Joe Maddon: "No fun losing a David Price. Hate it. But we have to do what is best for our group. Continue to move it forward and thats what weve done." Tampa Bay signed Price to a $14 million deal for this season, avoiding arbitration, but he isnt eligible for free agency until after next season. That means Detroits rotation -- which also includes Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello -- should be impressive in 2015 even if Scherzer leaves via free agency this off-season. "Were trying to win this year, but we do have David Price for next year," Dombrowski said. "Thats helpful." The Tigers are without a World Series championship since 1984. Last seasons team lost to Boston in the AL championship series. Detroit had to give up quite a bit to get Price. Smyly actually started Thursdays game and pitched five innings. The 25-year-old left-hander is 6-9 with a 3.93 ERA this season. Smyly said he found out about the trade on social media, and Dombrowski came in and told him soon thereafter. "Didnt see it coming," he said. "These guys are awesome. We have a great team, a winning team. So its hard to say goodbye, but its part of baseball. Happens to everybody." Jackson is hitting .273 and has been Detroits regular centre fielder throughout this run of division titles. The 23-year-old Franklin hit .294 in 75 games this season with Triple-A Tacoma. He appeared in 17 games with the Mariners, hitting .128. "Its not waving a white flag at all," Rays president Matt Silverman said. "If your team plays to the level that it can, especially considering all the head-to-head games we have within our division, we have a chance to make up the deficit and get into the playoffs. Its more difficult without David, but if the rest of the team plays up to their potential, were going to be playing meaningful games in September." With a lineup anchored by Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Ian Kinsler -- and that remarkable rotation -- Detroit has remained in first place for almost all of 2014. The Tigers tried to shore up one trouble spot -- the bullpen -- by trading for Joakim Soria last week. Now Detroit has emerged with Price in another bold move aimed at bringing a championship to the Motor City. "I dont know if were going to win by any means -- theres other good clubs," Dombrowski said. "But getting the opportunity to add a guy like David Price doesnt come along very often." ' ' '
