Disgraced NHL referee Tim Peel sounds off on the Leafs' Matthew Knies hit with a shocking opinion

The Toronto Maple Leafs opened an early lead against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday courtesy of the first NHL goal by Fraser Minten, but the momentum didn't last long.

It took a grim turn when Matthew Knies left the game following a controversial hit from Zach Whitecloud.

In the league of arguments, every dangerous collision turns into an instant lightning rod.

The Maple Leafs are no strangers to the eye of that hurricane.

Just weeks ago, Ryan Reaves' illegal hit on an Edmonton player earned him a five-game suspension as part of the league's crackdown on dangerous play.

Now it's Whitecloud's turn under the microscope, and many are skeptical if his actions warrant supplemental discipline.

While physicality is integral to hockey's allure, hits targeting an opponent's head tread into dangerous territory.

The collision left Knies noticeably dazed, knocking him out of the game with what Toronto later announced was a game-ending injury, possibly a concussion.

Opinions have been divided on the hit.

On-ice, Leafs captain John Tavares immediately came to his teammate's defense, while off the ice the debate continued.

On-ice officials ruled the hit clean, a call the 'Sportsnet' panel agreed with, but many Leafs fans felt the contact to the head was sufficient to warrant a penalty.

Adding to the discourse, retired NHL referee Tim Peel weighed in to say that he felt the hit was clean and within the rules.

The perspective from Peel, shaped by years of officiating at the highest level, has added a layer of complexity to the discourse, leaving fans and analysts debating the nuances of what truly is a "legal" hit in today's NHL.

Through all the drama, the Leafs walked away with a 3-0 win.

But from the final tally of goals, the story flipped to the well-being of Knies and back to player safety/officiating consistency in the NHL, a story that gets told over and over again and only gets louder with each questionable hit.