Brad Marchand wants NHL to get rid of video reviews: ‘Refs are getting crucified'

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As exciting as the NHL playoffs have been, they've been marred by controversial calls and non-calls by officials.

So how can the league remedy this issue for future postseasons? Bruins winger Brad Marchand offers a pretty straightforward solution.

"Get rid of video reviews, that's the problem," Marchand told ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "When you start bringing in all the video reviews, the refs are getting crucified. They're out there to do a job. Start taking it away from them, little by little, then it's going to escalate. Now they're going to want video reviews for pucks hitting the net or hand passes, so how much are you going to take away from the refs? The only way to do it is to do all of it with video review or none of it."

Which would Marchand prefer?

"I don't care either way," he said. "Just pick one. We're in between right now."

Marchand's critique is a valid one. The Bruins had their own issues with video review rules during their second-round series against the Blue Jackets, when a puck off the netting went uncalled and resulted in a Columbus goal.

The Blues, Boston's Stanley Cup opponent, found themselves on the wrong side of the rules as well when an obvious hand pass led to a Sharks overtime goal and was ineligible for video review.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said prior to the Stanley Cup Final that video review would be among the topics discussed when the league's GMs meet June 20.

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