Recently, there has been a trend among players in hockey to try to manipulate referees by exaggerating penalties, in hopes of gaining an advantage for their teams. This has been particularly noticeable with Michael Bunting of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who has been repeatedly accused by referees of embellishing.
While some of the penalties called on Bunting may be warranted, there have been instances where his actions can be called into question. In a recent game against the Florida Panthers, former Calgary Flames player Matthew Tkachuk attempted to follow suit by trying to sell a penalty to the referee after a push from Toronto defenseman Justin Holl.
Matthew Tkachuk, a notorious pest in the NHL like his father Keith Tkachuk and brother Brady, attempted to draw a penalty during a recent game for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was unsuccessful, and the game continued without any further incident.
Despite his reputation, Tkachuk has had an impressive season so far, with 35 goals and 62 assists for a total of 97 points, a +22 rating, and 92 penalty minutes. He has also contributed 32 power-play points to the Leafs.