A seething Jared Bednar tore into NHL officials Thursday night after a missed call put Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood in harm’s way. Despite securing a thrilling 6-5 overtime victory against the Buffalo Sabres, the Avs head coach was in no mood to celebrate, instead lambasting the referees for not blowing the whistle when Wedgewood was down and injured after a collision in his crease.
“If he’s hurt and he’s not getting up, and they can evaluate that, and they’re standing right there looking at it, the whistle should go,” Bednar fumed in his post-game press conference. “It’s just that simple.”
The controversial sequence occurred in the third period when Sabres forward Zach Benson was knocked into Wedgewood by Avalanche center Parker Kelly. As Wedgewood remained down in apparent pain, play continued and Benson scored to put Buffalo up 5-2.
“The referee said it wasn’t blown because we put their guy into Scott. I said, ‘I don’t give a s—. He’s hurt.’ They’re standing there. He’s sitting there. He’s hurt. Blow the whistle.”
– Jared Bednar, Colorado Avalanche Head Coach
Bednar challenged the goal for goaltender interference but it was upheld after review. An incensed Bednar felt it should have never come to that.
“The goal shouldn’t have counted, and so, yeah, I was mad. So we just did it,” he said of the challenge, knowing it was unlikely to succeed. “It gives them another chance to do the right thing.”
NHL’s Stance on Goalie Safety Under Scrutiny
The scary incident with Wedgewood, who had to leave the game, reignited the debate around the NHL’s player safety protocols, especially as they pertain to goaltenders. Many feel the league doesn’t do enough to protect its netminders, who are particularly vulnerable to collisions and head injuries.
- Goalies are increasingly involved in plays outside the crease
- Crease battles are getting more physically intense
- Concussion spotters can’t always identify goalie head injuries in real-time
While the NHL rulebook does address goaltender interference, the on-ice officials have considerable discretion in determining when to stop play for an injured goalie. This subjectivity often leads to inconsistent calls that put netminders at risk.
“They do it all the time for regular players, because of player safety. The rule would state that we have to touch it. But they don’t follow that rule. They never follow that rule.”
– Jared Bednar on referees usually blowing play dead for injured skaters
Bednar’s post-game comments shine a harsh spotlight on the NHL’s duty to better safeguard goalies. As the last line of defense, they’re already under immense pressure. Loose officiating standards only heighten the dangers they face.
Will Bednar’s Rant Spark Change?
Coach Bednar’s blistering critique of the referees’ inaction is sure to resonate around the league. Coming from the bench boss of the reigning Stanley Cup champions, his words carry undeniable weight. Whether they’ll spur meaningful changes to goalie safety policies remains to be seen.
At minimum, Bednar’s rant should trigger a serious review by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. A clear directive to err on the side of caution with injured goalies, along with more specific guidelines for officials, would be a logical first step.
Coaches like Bednar shouldn’t have to publicly shame the NHL into doing more to protect its players, especially those as crucial and exposed as goaltenders. But if that’s what it takes to make the game safer, you can bet more bench bosses will be sounding off soon.
As for the Avalanche, they rallied around their fallen teammate and channeled Bednar’s fury into an improbable comeback win. “That fired us up,” said defenseman Devon Toews, who scored the overtime winner. “We hope Wedgie’s all right, and we’ll move on from it.”
Even in victory, though, Bednar’s scathing message rang out loud and clear. The NHL has a goalie safety problem, and it can no longer be ignored. If the league doesn’t act soon to strengthen protections for its netminders, more coaches will be joining Bednar in voicing their outrage – and more goalies will pay the price.
