Dobson Hit on Staal Puts NHL Playoff Officiating Under the Microscope

Noah Dobson’s hit on Jordan Staal has turned a playoff moment into a full-blown debate, and that is usually where the NHL’s gray areas start getting loud. The league has a long history of drawing a hard line only after everyone in the building has already made up their mind, and this one is no different. The play is now less about the scoreboard than the standard, because every front office and bench boss knows these calls have a way of echoing well beyond one game.