Hockey Operations monitors every game that is played during the regular season and playoffs from the "situation room" in Toronto. League personnel that staff this room will record and clip questionable calls that they view or situations that are commented upon by play-by-play and game analysts for Stephen Walkom to review. Aside from officiating complaints received by Hockey Ops and/or the Director of Officiating via telephone communication during or after games, team General Managers can also submit a written request for review of a call or an official's performance. When this occurs Stephen Walkom is obliged to investigate the claim and respond back to the team with his findings. This adds up to a full season of scrutiny that the official's performances are subjected to. As with any rating system there is some subjectivity that is imposed by the people that review the performance and input the data. Office politics applies in every corporation, organization and job on the face of the earth and the NHL evaluation process for their officials is no different. Any and all material gathered from the above listed sources can't help but influence the perception held by Officiating Managers to some degree as they conduct their evaluation process. A comprehensive package of information including discussions amongst the supervisors and evaluation meetings scheduled by Stephen Walkom are utilized to determine each individual official's ranking.”
Check out the spring edition of the Hockey Edmonton Magazine for our feature interview with NHL’s top referee, Wes McCauley!
That’s a lot of scrutiny, and if you include 18,000 screaming fans, it takes a special breed to be an NHL official. You definitely have to have thick skin.
NHL Referee Wes McCauley Photograph by Andy Devlin - Oilers Entertainment Group
St. Benedict
Catholic Elementary School
HOCKEY ACADEMY
Edmonton's West and Southwest Grades 4-6 Hockey Academy
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2017-2018
780.487.2733
18015 - 93 AVE
www.bulldoghockeyacademy.com