NHL Sets Puzzling Precedent, Marchment Off Hook for Ref Contact

In a move that has many in the hockey world scratching their heads, the NHL has opted not to suspend Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment after he made physical contact with an official during Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. One insider explained how the league made its decision, but it isn’t sitting well with many, and one analyst is calling the decision “objectively stupid.”

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Late in the second period, a frustrated Marchment, upset over a missed call, tapped referee Graham Skilliter on the shin pad with his stick while yelling at him as he skated toward the bench. The official didn’t acknowledge the “love tap”, but analysts and fans definitely noticed. While the contact was not violent, it was unmistakably intentional—a clear violation of the long-standing understood, and non-negotiable rule, that players cannot, under any circumstances, make contact with an official.

Kelly Hrudey said during the intermission that it should be an automatic suspension. “You can be as frustrated as you want, but you can’t, under any circumstances, contact an official.” Kevin Bieksa said he had a guy on his team once do something similar, and it got him 10 games.

Strangely, the NHL isn’t going to discipline Marchment at all.

How Is the NHL Not Stepping In and Suspending Marchment?

Elliotte Friedman noted, “League has discussed incident at end of second period between Mason Marchment and referee Graham Skilliter. It is on-ice officials’ call to decide if that qualifies as an Abuse of Officials violation. The answer was no…so no further action.”

The incident sparked immediate debate. Some praised Skilliter for showing restraint and understanding in a high-stakes moment, choosing not to assess a misconduct penalty or escalate the situation. After all, Marchment barely slashed the official, even if he did give him a bit of a whack. Others, however, are rightly alarmed by the NHL’s decision to take no further action. The league stated that it deferred to the on-ice officials’ judgment. Why that is the case has many baffled.

Even if the official himself doesn’t see the incident as an “abuse of officials” violation, the league certainly should.

This sets a troubling precedent. Regardless of Marchment’s intent or subsequent apology, allowing any player to strike an official, even lightly, without consequence sends an awful message and muddies the waters for the next time it happens. It undermines the authority of referees and opens the door to further boundary-pushing behavior. Players are regularly suspended for far less when it comes to protecting the integrity of the game.

The NHL has often been accused of inconsistency in its disciplinary decisions, but this one may top the list. In what other sport could a player make physical contact with a referee in anger and not be suspended? The fact that the league has essentially shrugged off a stick to the leg of an official is, quite simply, mind-boggling.

The fact that they’re leaving it up to the officials at all is an odd choice.

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