Former NHLer turned coach Johan Hedberg is pissed after being fined for abusing officials
Johan Hedberg, who played close to 400 games in the NHL as a goaltender, is not happy after being fined by HockeyAllsvenskan in Sweden for abusing officials. Hedberg is currently the head coach of Mora IK, which was knocked out of the playoffs over the weekend. During the deciding game, Hedberg reportedly got into it with the officials.
"I think it's absolutely wrong that I got fined for this," he told AftonBladet.
"There was a reason for this discussion that he reported me for, a bit of hard skin is necessary in our business," he added.
According to a report filed by the officials with the league's disciplinary committee, Hedberg called them "gnomes" and "f---ing idiots" during the game over the weekend. He also called the officiating "so damn low level" after he was asked to leave the game by one of the referees.
"It's the same gnomes that are here game after game," Hedberg reportedly told an official when asked to leave.
It was explained to him that the league wants the same officials for an entire series.
"Is that our wish? It's completely sick. F---ing idiots," was his reply according to the report.
Hedberg produced a written reply to the report by the officials to the league's disciplinary committee. In it, he said "the conversation that CK (Christoffer Karlsson, an official in the game) reproduces in the complaint is quite accurate if you disregard the words that he omits in his own comments." He added "this is a parody on a high level and I am actually ashamed on behalf of CK about this complaint."
Hedberg has been ordered to pay a fine of 10,000 SEK, the equivalent of just under $1100 USD. He's been Mora's head coach since the 2020-21 season.
Hedberg was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1994, although he never played for the team. He suited up for Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Dallas, Atlanta and new Jersey before retiring after the 2013-14 season.
