n July the NHL heralded the return of hockey. Not only was it back, but it was also going to be better. With new rules to speed up the game and the increased focus on obstruction, hooking and interference penalties, the league's stars would be able to shine. At the time, I predicted this could create havoc at the amateur level. Well, that time has come.

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In Canada, the WJHC gets the same type of coverage that the Superbowl gets. This year, the media scrutiny is even greater as the tournament is being hosted in Canada. Being the top hockey nation in the world, not excluding Russia, we feel we know everything there is to know about the game. That includes refereeing.

So, when the officiating continued to erode the quality of play in the tournament, the media let us know.  The problem is that the media should be talking about the battle for the Gold Medal and the future stars of the NHL. Instead, virtually every article focused on the referees. When we look at what the media is saying, it isn't pretty.

Cam Cole from the Vancouver Sun tells us:

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