Radim Rulík accuses refs of bias against Czechia, but missed call on Sidney Crosby shifts narrative
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Daniel Lucente
Feb 18, 2026 (3:09 PM)
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Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Radim Rulik torched Olympic officiating after Czechia vs Team Canada, but a Josh Yohe clip shows the Czechs also got a huge gift.
Rulik’s postgame quote made the rounds fast, and it was spicy.
He said refs were “afraid” to call anything against Canada, and claimed the tournament “isn’t fair” because of it.
He even pointed at a Martin Nečas breakaway moment as a must-call, NHL-style penalty.
That’s a massive accusation in a best-on-best quarterfinal, especially with the whole world watching.
"The referees really worry me. What they’re allowing against us is unacceptable. After every game, we send them two or three clips where they confirm that the opponent should have been penalized. I don’t understand it. I just don’t get it. I feel like everyone is afraid to call anything against Canada.
We were basically playing against six players. I don’t want to make excuses, and no one has to agree with me, but the video backs me up. In this respect, it’s not a fair tournament. It was happening to us even against Denmark. The mix of NHL and European referees hasn’t worked — everyone calls the game differently.
I watch two NHL games on replay every single day. The play Nečas made today — when his stick was touched on the breakaway — is always a penalty in the NHL. But suddenly, not here.
I’m really sorry about it. The guys deserved a top-level performance from the referees. They always admit afterward that we were right, but nothing ever changes. We should have had power plays against Canada. But they were afraid Pasta or Nečas would score another power-play goal. And if Gudas was penalized, then Doughty should have been too for the hit on Pasta.”
- Radim Rulik
We were basically playing against six players. I don’t want to make excuses, and no one has to agree with me, but the video backs me up. In this respect, it’s not a fair tournament. It was happening to us even against Denmark. The mix of NHL and European referees hasn’t worked — everyone calls the game differently.
I watch two NHL games on replay every single day. The play Nečas made today — when his stick was touched on the breakaway — is always a penalty in the NHL. But suddenly, not here.
I’m really sorry about it. The guys deserved a top-level performance from the referees. They always admit afterward that we were right, but nothing ever changes. We should have had power plays against Canada. But they were afraid Pasta or Nečas would score another power-play goal. And if Gudas was penalized, then Doughty should have been too for the hit on Pasta.”
- Radim Rulik
But here’s the problem, Canada had its own “how is that not a call” moment, and it was a big one.
Penguins insider Josh Yohe posted a clip he called “very blatant interference,” saying Canada would have been on a power play when Sidney Crosby got injured if it was called.
Crosby leaving that game changed the temperature instantly, and his status became the story.
So when Rulik paints it like five-on-six, it doesn’t land clean.
If the standard is “call what’s there,” the Czech bench benefited from at least one obvious miss too.
Radim Rulik calls out Team Canada, and it backfires
Czech fans can be furious, but this feels like blaming the whistle for problems that cut both ways.
International games get weird when the standard shifts shift by shift.
That’s not a Canada conspiracy, that’s a consistency problem.
Rulik can hate it, but he can’t ignore the no-calls that helped his side.
If anything, this quarterfinal looked like refs trying to swallow the whistle for everyone, until they didn’t.
The next game is where this matters, because one early power play can swing a tournament.
Also read on HockeyLatest :
Sidney Crosby injury scare grows as right leg issue hits Team Canada
Sidney Crosby injury scare grows as right leg issue hits Team Canada
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FEVRIER 18|399 ANSWERS Radim Rulík accuses refs of bias against Czechia, but missed call on Sidney Crosby shifts narrative Did Radim Rulík go too far blaming Olympic officiating after Czechia vs Team Canada? | ||
| Yes | 359 | 90 % |
| No | 40 | 10 % |
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