NHL promotes linesman who shoved a player last season
Last season, during a Toronto Maple Leafs game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning an incident occurred between linesman Dan Kelly and then Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting. During the incident Kelly was attempting to escort Bunting off the ice while Bunting continues to chirp. Ultimately Kelly ended up forcefully shoving Bunting off the ice and down the tunnel.
This wasn't Kelly's only connection with the Leafs, in 2016 he was suspended for 10 games for delivering a check to the head of then Maple Leafs prospect Andreas Johnsson during the Calder Cup playoffs. Kelly at the time was a member of the New Jersey Devils.
In a decision that is surprising to many, the NHL has officially promoted Kelly. This promotion has landed Kelly a full-time NHL officiating job beginning this season.
Gary Bettman continues to prove that he simply just doesn't get it or even worse, just doesn't care. It will be interesting to see how Kelly's promotion pans out and if it ends up being an embarrassment for the league.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 18 | 85 ANSWERS NHL promotes linesman who shoved a player last season Should Dan Kelly have been promoted? | ||
| Yes, he deserves it | 18 | 21.2 % |
| No, he shouldn't have been promoted | 53 | 62.4 % |
| I don't care about who officials are | 14 | 16.5 % |
| List of polls | ||