The issue isn’t having the “legal” right to do it, it’s avoiding all semblance of tampering. He ought to have known better.

Perhaps Illitch just slipped up. I’ve never heard of him doing anything like this before, so maybe people such as Davidson ought to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Based on the comments by Campbell, no one can accuse Illitch of trying to influence the referees’ calling of the game. Talking to them at all probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but if the only effect it had was to result in the just suspension of a player, then it should be dropped.

I have no idea why he chose to approach the refs when he could have just gone to the League. Whatvever he should have done, he did what he did and there’s no changing it. Davidson and anyone else who holds it against Illitch should consider their stance carefully: are they questioning the integrity of the officials, or Mike Illitch, a widely respected and long-time NHL owner?

If Illitch is concerned over the health of his players, he should be talking to the head of referees, not directly to the refs themselves, in-game. Maybe he should be able to do what he did; maybe he shouldn’t. The issue isn’t having the “legal” right to do it, it’s avoiding all semblance of tampering. He ought to have known better.

The Wings don’t need a goon, but a hard nut to throw on might be useful come playoff time.