NHL faces favoritism allegations after game-changing Oilers vs. Ducks decision involving Leon Draisaitl
Leon Draisaitl got drilled in plain view Tuesday, and Kris Knoblauch had every reason to expect a call.
Instead, the whistle never came, and that's where this story took off far beyond one missed infraction in Edmonton's first-round series against Anaheim.
Mark Spector lit it up with a blunt post after the play, calling it the kind of hit the league still lets slide in 2026 even when everyone in the rink can see the danger.
The refs working the game, Eric Furlatt and Kendrick Nicholson, are under fire from fans.
This isn't the first time this series the pair have made a controversial call, including the overtime 'goal line' controversy from just the other night.
That hit landed hard because it matched what a lot of fans were already saying: the NHL keeps talking about protecting stars, then turns around and lets one get run right in front of the officials.
Draisaitl isn't just any player in this series.
Kreider came through the numbers with force, and Draisaitl was driven awkwardly into the boards with both officials in full view of the play.
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Fans see a double standard in lack of officiating in Oilers vs. Ducks playoff series
That's why the reaction turned nasty in a hurry. One fan on X pointed to Mikko Rantanen getting discipline on a similar play and asked why Chris Kreider got nothing.
Another post cut even deeper, saying a hit like that can take an elite player out for the season or worse and that the refs flat-out failed their job.
Josh Yohe's reaction was even simpler, and maybe that's why it hit: right in front of the ref. Come on.
The officials assigned to Game 5 were Eric Furlatt and Kendrick Nicholson.
By the end of the night, some fans weren't just ripping the missed call. They were saying both refs should be pulled from the playoffs.
That kind of heat doesn't show up unless people think something bigger is at work.
And that's the allegation hanging over the league now: favoritism, selective enforcement, and a different rulebook depending on the sweater.
The NHL hates that word, because once fans believe stars only get protected when it suits the moment, trust in the whole standard is gone.
If these kinds of calls continue, an investigation could most definitely be in play.
Edmonton stayed alive on the ice. The league still has to deal with what happened off it.
Because when a hit on Leon Draisaitl gets ignored in plain sight, the outrage doesn't feel like overreaction. It feels earned.
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YESTERDAY
APRIL 29, 2026
| ||||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Pavel Dorofeyev | 3 | - | 3 | |
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Clayton Keller | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Michael Carcone | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Lawson Crouse | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Kirby Dach | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brendan Gallagher | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Dylan Guenther | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jake Guentzel | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Dominic James | 1 | - | 1 | |
| John Marino | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alexandre Texier | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cam York | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Noah Cates | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Gage Goncalves | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Yanni Gourde | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 109 | |
| Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 106 | |
| Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 106 | |
| Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 100 | |
| Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 99 | |
| Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | |
| Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 84 | |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 78 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Hurricanes | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | |
| Penguins | 82 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 98 | |
| Flyers | 82 | 43 | 27 | 12 | 98 | |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 95 | |
| Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 92 | |
| Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 91 | |
| Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 87 | |
| Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 82 | 55 | 16 | 11 | 121 | |
| Stars | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 112 | |
| Wild | 82 | 46 | 24 | 12 | 104 | |
| Mammoth | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Blues | 82 | 37 | 33 | 12 | 86 | |
| Predators | 82 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 86 | |
| Jets | 82 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 82 | |
| Blackhawks | 82 | 29 | 39 | 14 | 72 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 82 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 95 | |
| Oilers | 82 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 93 | |
| Ducks | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Kings | 82 | 35 | 27 | 20 | 90 | |
| Sharks | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | |
| Kraken | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | |
| Flames | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| Canucks | 82 | 25 | 49 | 8 | 58 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||