Former NHL referee Tim Peel mocks fans in Toronto.

It is somewhat ironic that disgraced former National Hockey League referee Tim Peel now makes headlines for his unfiltered opinions on the sport when you consider the fact that it was a hot mic that resulted in his premature retirement from the sport he once officiated.

On Saturday, Peel was up to his usual tricks on social media and this time drew the ire of the Toronto Maple Leafs fan base for his comments regarding the hit that New York Rangers rookie enforcer Matt Rempe delivered to recently acquired Maple Leafs defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin. Peel argued that the hit from Rempe should not have been a penalty, something that kicked up a hornet's nest on social media.

Peel may have tried to play innocent, but judging by some of his comments it sounds very much like he was trying to provoke a reaction from the Maple Leafs fan base.

Peel wasn't exactly at his most diplomatic either.

He did however offer a slightly more detailed explanation in the end.

Peel of course received a ton of backlash for his comments throughout the evening but some fans may have crossed the line, making threats at the former NHL referee. Whatever you make think of Peel or his opinions, don't go there.

Something tells me this isn't the last we've heard from the disgraced former NHL official.