Paul Maurice furious after Trouba elbow, but refuses to get fined

The hockey world is split on Jacob Trouba's hit on Evan Rodrigues. Regardless of your opinion—Rodrigues didve or it should have been a major—I think we can all agree that the Panthers' head coach made an extremely unexpected statement following the game.

After the game, Paul Maurice, according to Sportsnet, decided to go in a direction nobody had anticipated, choosing instead to forego a fine or other consequences from the National Hockey League while subtly hinting that what he intended to say would get him in hot water.

When asked his thoughts on the hit, Maurice let out a big sigh and replied:

Although it was evident that Maurice had more to say about the subject, he ultimately decided against saying anything that would get him in hot water with the league.

It's unfortunate that the NHL has effectively silenced coaches and players who disagree with the quality of officiating in a particular game. Fans, coaches, and players have all witnessed the decline in standards in recent years, but no one is free to openly discuss it for fear of facing fines.

This is a really depressing time for the NHL's state of officiating.