NHL: Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly Did Not Use Anti-Gay Slur Toward Referee

The NHL determined Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly didn't direct a homophobic slur toward a referee during his team's 6-2 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night. 

Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice president of hockey operations, issued a statement Tuesday saying Rielly denied using a slur, with audio evidence backing up his account:

The Toronto Star's Kevin McGran wrote the television broadcast appeared to catch one player using a slur in the middle of the action. McGran added the audio also sounded like a member of the Lightning was instructing the team to "rag" the puck—or hold it for the team in possession.

The Lightning were on the power play as the situation was occurring, with Cedric Paquette scoring a shorthanded goal at the 18:16 mark of the second period to make it a 5-1 game.

Rielly spoke to reporters Tuesday following the NHL's announcement.

In recent years, the NHL has issued fines and a suspension in one case when finding players guilty of using anti-gay slurs during games.

Andrew Shaw, then of the Chicago Blackhawks, received a $5,000 fine and a one-game ban in April 2016, while Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf was fined $10,000 in May 2017.