Bettman on Parros: He ‘Has Done a Terrific Job’
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The NHL commissioner discussed George Parros, officiating and more in his annual chat with Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean.
On his annual Stanley Cup final chat with Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman answered questions on George Parros, officiating and more.
One answer about Parros got a lot of attention on social media, with Bettman complimenting the decisions made about the Department of Player Safety head amidst public criticism.
“He has done a terrific job and has tough judgment calls to make,” Bettman said. “He’s very consistent.”
McLean brought up the topic after asking about the situation involving Artemi Panarin and Tom Wilson in the regular season. Late in the campaign, Wilson was not suspended after an altercation where Panarin was shoved hard onto the ice.
In regards to officiating, Bettman said “the officials are often “the subject of criticism, observation, debate. A lot of it is partisan – not by the media, I mean the fans obviously. When you look at it from here, it’s a little bit slow… it’s hard. Our guys do a very good job – better than they get credit for.
“Are they perfect? No. But we strive for perfection. We have critiquing, coaching and accountability. We want to make sure our guys are doing the best possible job that they can. By adding some technology, such as we’ve done with coach’s challenge and video review, we’re getting it done right virtually all the time, but not 100 percent of the time.”