What’s Embellishment? It’s Not Whatever Evan Rodrigues Did

So, what is embellishment in hockey — and why was it called on Evan Rodrigues on Wednesday night?

Good question.

Midway through the second period Wednesday night, Rodrigues got rid of the puck along the boards and was driven into the boards by Scott Laughton.

Rodrigues dropped to the ice after going head-first into the glass.

The whistle blew after a skirmish broke out and penalties were meted out.

There was no boarding call on Laughton, although there is certainly an argument there could have been.

Instead, after Rodrigues slowly made his way into the Panthers’ room, officials Francois St. Laurent and Dan O’Rourke conferred and called “embellishment.’’

On Rodrigues.

What?

OK, hockey is a fast game, which is why video replay often shows a different tale than what was spotted in the moment.

In this case, the jury was out on exactly what happened and what, if any, punitive action was appropriate.

To the shock of just about everyone watching the game — and, based on his body language and actual unprintable language, Paul Maurice as well — not only was no penalty called on Laughton for the hit, but Rodrigues was the one penalized.

The score was tied at 2, so this could have been a major turning point in the game.

Rodrigues, since he was in the room, couldn’t even serve his own penalty. Jesper Boqvist had to sit in the box for him.

Laughton did go to the box, and there was no power play on the Rodrigues call. That’s because Laughton got a double-minor for roughing after he went at it with Nate Schmidt in the aftermath of the hit.

The Rodrigues call appears to have been made to even up the penalties to cancel each other out.

Afterward, Maurice said no explanation, as usual, was given from the officials as to why this was called.

The Panthers, for the most part, did not complain about it since, at the end of the day, there was no real consequence to it.

Embellishment is an infraction which is just as unpredictable as goalie interference.

Rule 64.1 in the NHL Rulebook states: Diving/Embellishment is for any player who blatantly dives, embellishes a fall or a reaction, or who feigns an injury shall be penalized with a minor penalty under this rule.

This obviously leaves plenty of room for judgement.

Some players, obviously, fake falls when touched or stumble to the ice when a stick comes near them.

This was not that.

When it comes to the hit by Laughton, at first glance it looked like a hit from behind on a player unable to defend himself.

That was the stated opinion of ESPN color analyst A.J. Mleczko in real time.

Former NHL referee Dave Jackson, who now serves as ESPN Rules Analyst, said he didn’t think Laughton should have been penalized outside of the roughing.

“I personally don’t feel that the contact was that hard,’’ Jackson said. “He didn’t project him violently into the boards. I can understand why there’s no penalty on that play.”

Jackson added that Rodrigues had a chance to get his hands up to protect against major impact into the boards. He noted that the referee was standing in perfect position to see it.

A logical explanation, but it took a video replay to come to an opinion, a privilege not granted to on-ice officials in this case.

As far as Rodrigues went?

“I do not, however, see an embellishment on that play,’’ Jackson said. “He just gets hit and goes down. But the referee thought otherwise.”

Leaving to the conclusion that embellishment is one of the more subjective calls and open to many interpretations.

Those who watched it were a little more critical.

Pierre LeBrun, a noted NHL Insider, tweeted the call was “ridiculous.’’

Jackie Redmond of NHL Network posted “that ain’t embellishment. I actually don’t even know how you could argue that it is in any way. Like what’s the argument?”

Former NHL goalie and NESN commentator Andrew Raycroft: “That’s the craziest embellishment call in the history of the NHL.’’

The list goes on and on, and on and on.

Even the Toronto side of the ice didn’t think much of the call.

Was the guitar guilty of embellishment on this play? pic.twitter.com/i2V9WLcPTD

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) May 8, 2025

Evan Rodrigues just got a two minute penalty for embellishment for this.

He's also in the locker room due to the hit and won't be in the box to serve his embellishment.

What a joke of a call. pic.twitter.com/Mx3qj1LzhI

— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) May 8, 2025

Not the finest night for the guys in stripes. The embellishment call on Rodrigues was ridiculous, but overall some missed calls on both sides. I can’t imagine either coach is thrilled.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 8, 2025

Sam McKee, host of the LeafsTalk podcast, wrote “that embellishment call was the worst call in the history of hockey.”

Yeah, even Mr. Maple Leaf — former NHLer turned analyst Paul Bissonnette — had a problem with it.

“That’s not embellishment,’’ wrote Bisssonnette, who never played for the Leafs but still wears their gear on TNT studio shows. “I don’t want the PP. Let em play.”

Guess that’s settled: At least we know what embellishment doesn’t look like.

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

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