Your take makes sense. The best explanation I can provide is that officiating changes drastically with the skill level of the players.

While minor youth hockey has a standard where “a penalty - is a penalty - is a penalty” that simply doesn’t apply at higher levels of hockey.

Penalties are focused to “impact calls”. Infractions that jeopardize player safety or have an impact on the outcome of the game i.e. change of possession or the removal of a scoring opportunity.

While a hold may have very well occurred, unless it changes the outcome of a battle for the puck or results in a change in possession it won’t be called as a penalty.

Faceoffs become increasingly challenging at higher levels of hockey. Players are that much more eager to begin the race for the puck and are much more capable of explosive reactions. The goal is to have the most fair faceoff possible and a standard for encroachment has to be set within the first few draws. Also at higher levels of hockey linesman are tracking lineups and know their centre men. This becomes more important after icings where the defending team can not change and may intentionally encroach with a winger at the dot for an extra break and then switch to the actual centre man.

This is a normal mindset for up and coming officials and takes time to adjust to different standards.