As an aside, I'd like to do some digging on the status of the NHL's CBA with its referees. Currently, Scouting the Refs has a 5 year deal having been signed ahead of the 2014-15 season, making this the final season that that agreement would cover. No word on this from our intrepid hockey media, but Pension Plan Puppets echoes this.
I've posted my sentiments before - but while the league hasn't been giving the four on-ice officials the resources they need to do their jobs, it's also clear that the four-official system is hindered in a number of ways:
While a lot of that still needs to be addressed, at this point I'd be in favor of:
I've posted my sentiments before - but while the league hasn't been giving the four on-ice officials the resources they need to do their jobs, it's also clear that the four-official system is hindered in a number of ways:
- Two referees doesn't work, period. Too many bodies on the ice, too much inconsistency in standards from ref to ref within the same game
- Linesman only having authority to whistle positioning infractions (icing, offside, faceoff tango) and bench minors (puck over glass, too many men)
- No off-ice officials with any input on situations outside of goal / no goal
- Making these guys look at tablets to help determine reviews
While a lot of that still needs to be addressed, at this point I'd be in favor of:
- Making Wes McCauley on the refereeing side a non-union private contractor, and maybe Devorski / Racicot / a couple others for linesmen. Maybe Chris Rooney as well for referees, but he shouldn't be officiating Bruins games (seriously, a local official refereeing a game would cause riots in European football... that this is still done is bananas). Pay these guys what they deserve and have them be your go-to guys for SCFs
- Going back to a one-ref system with an empowered off-ice official - meaning they can whistle play down in real time through the on-ice official for egregious missed calls, or to overturn egregiously-made calls.
- Bringing in replacement officials if the current crop of referees raise a stink, which they will
- Significant increase in referee pay to incentivize good performance
- In line with the significant pay raise, make the on-ice official available to media after each game