Hockey player Slepyshev: “In America, I have never heard anyone complain about referees”

Attack CSKA Anton Slepychev in an interview with , he said that in Russian hockey there is too much talk about the work of referees, while in the NHL this topic is practically not discussed.

Slepyshev played in the NHL from 2015 to 2018 for the Edmonton Oilers and his farm club Bakersfield Condors in the AHL. Since 2018, the striker has been defending the colors of the military club, he has already played for Novokuznetsk Metallurg and Ufa Salavat Yulaev.

— I have no complaints (to the judges). They have already made progress. Unless you need to fiddle with the puck on a throw-in. We players focus on the fight, but then we raise our hands once, twice… Lord, I already want to change. Although it is their job, it is also asked of them. In the NHL, it’s the first faceoff and off you go. See for yourself. There, the wingers (attackers) are already going straight to the goal. This is not such an important element. No one clings to it, it’s just a game. In general, our refereeing is qualified, no worse than that of the NHL.

Besides, in North America, I have never heard anyone complain about the referees. We only played one game in the playoffs against Anaheim, when Ryan Kesler jammed our goalie Cam Talbot’s pad, and we missed. This game was a turning point in the series: in the seventh game we lost.

There are some details, but in America they don’t concern refereeing at all. We always talk about referees. Always dialogue, a kind of emotion. This worries me sometimes too. But why talk to them? If they have already made a decision, they will not change it,” Slepyshev told .

Find the full version of the interview with Anton Slepyshev in the coming days on the website!