NHL Removes Referee Tim Peel From Games After Microphone Catches Him Admitting Intentionally Bad Penalty Call

BOSTON (CBS) -- NHL referee Tim Peel was caught on a live microphone on Tuesday night, admitting that the penalty he had called had more to do with him wanting to call a penalty than it did with him actually seeing a penalty being committed.

Hours later, Peel has been removed from his job.

Though the NHL softened its language and did not use the term "fired," the league made it clear that Peel has refereed his final game in the NHL.

According to the official NHL announcement, Peel will "no longer will be working NHL games now or in the future."

"Nothing is more important than ensuring the integrity of our game," NHL senior executive VP of hockey operations Colin Campbell said. "Tim Peel's conduct is in direct contradiction to the adherence to that cornerstone principle that we demand of our officials and that our fans, players, coaches and all those associated with our game expect and deserve. There is no justification for his comments, no matter the context or his intention, and the National Hockey League will take any and all steps necessary to protect the integrity our game."

The incident in question came early in the second period, when Peel called a tripping penalty against Nashville's Viktor Arvidsson.

The game broadcast picked up Peel -- presumably talking to a fellow official -- saying, "It wasn't much, but I wanted to get a f---ing penalty against Nasvhille early in the," before cutting out.

Peel had been planning to retire in 2020, but he agreed to come back for one final season before retiring.

That final season of work for Peel will now end one month early. Peel has been a referee since 1999.

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