In any sport, the post-game talking point should be the brilliance, or perhaps the blunder, of the participants. It should be about a spectacular goal, a game-winning save, or an all-time performance. Sometimes, it’s the unfortunate opposite: a player having a nightmare that dominates the discussion.
The one thing you never want is for the referee or the umpire to be the post-game talking point.
Last Saturday, at the Jets vs. Chieftains game, it was—unfortunately—the third option.
They’re Only Human: Understanding the Pressure
In defence of the officials, we must remember that referees and umpires are human, just like us. No official sets out to do a bad job. They occasionally miss things, they occasionally make mistakes, but to be human is to be imperfect.
Consider the environment, particularly in leagues like NIHL1 and below, where there is often one less official than in the higher leagues. Two referees and two linesmen allow for all areas of the ice to be covered and ensure that players know there is an extra pair of eyes watching from a different angle.
On the ice, on the field, or on the pitch, officials often have only one chance, and that’s at full speed, to make a decision. The fact that their decision is more often than not accurate is a testament to their skill.
Think of ice hockey, specifically NIHL1, where there is often only one camera following the game. Things happen at an incredibly fast pace. The camera often misses things that our peripheral vision catches. Conversely, things happen off the play where an official might hear the sound but not see the event. No official can call a penalty based on sound alone!
I vividly recall a time when I received a message from former official Dave Cloutman after a game he’d refereed. He asked me to send him some game footage. His instincts told him something off-play had happened and warranted have been penalised, but with only one referee, he hadn’t seen it as he was, correctly, following the play. My video confirmation: “I knew it,” he replied. His instincts were spot on, but he couldn’t make a call on instinct alone. His “non-call” was, therefore, the correct decision in that moment.
The Art of Game Management
Over the years, I’ve got to know many officials on the circuit. Dave Cloutman, along with Matt Thompson, were, for a long time, the gold standard in the EIHA-administered leagues. They knew each other’s style inside and out and clicked perfectly as a four-official team.
Another referee from back in the day that I held in high regard was Glenn Meier. He wasn’t always the most popular with supporters, but he called a very fair game. He’d happily explain a decision on the ice, but as many players learned, if you spoke back after his explanation, he wasn’t afraid to issue a ten-minute misconduct penalty!
The best officials of those days were masters of communication. Dave Cloutman, for instance, called a free-flowing game not because he was afraid to call penalties, but because he could have a quick word with a player as he skated past, letting them know he wouldn’t hesitate to penalise an escalation. There’s a famous clip on Bison TV where Graham Bell, the best commentator to have given his voice in the league, noted things getting chippy but “a swift word from Uncle Dave soon sorted it out”.
While tolerances within the rules have changed over the years, from a lot being “allowed” to zero-tolerance and now a fairer balance, the approach has also shifted. Modern officials are often encouraged to call a penalty rather than manage through words alone. Yet, the best officials remain great game managers. Current officials like Tim Pickett and Stephen Matthews exemplify this, they know when to call and when to hold the whistle.
More Than Just the Referee
The referee is the figurehead, but the linesmen play a critical role, too. They call offsides and pull players apart during scuffles and conduct most face-offs. A good linesman is also invaluable to the referee, offering a different view that aids in making the correct call. Justin Lalonde springs to mind here, highly experienced and trusted by most referees for his fair view. When you see officials talking, they are utilising teamwork to ensure the right call is made.
Breaking the Mould: The Joy Johnston Legacy
A blog post on ice hockey officials wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Joy Johnston. I remember young Joy making her debut on the lines before quickly rising to become a referee. She achieved so much personally, officiating domestically and internationally, culminating in being awarded an Olympic Games final; a high endorsement indeed.
There was one Sunday where Joy had been alloceted a ladies game, but she’d be given the wrong face-off time. Consequently, as she believed face-off to be an hour earlier than it was, she arrived an hour earlier than necessary. We spent a lot of that hour talking, I got to know a lot more about Joy the person in that hour.
Joy broke the mould in what is still a male-dominated world. Even after stepping off the ice, she continued to be influential, taking over the management of officials. She implemented a training regime that gave every official the ability to rise to their potential, a legacy that continues today.
The Toughest Job in the Building
Nobody ever goes to a game to support the stripies! Fans are there to support their team and will naturally have a bias. The officials are guaranteed to have the crowd on their back the moment they make a contested call.
And if they make a mistake, even the best official makes their job instantly tougher for the rest of the game.
It’s a tough job. They stand out in their stripes, but the officials are human beings, just like you, me, and the players on the ice. How many times have you left the rink thinking a player had a great game? How many times have you said, “The officials had a good game”?
In summary, the talking point from last weekend’s Jets game may have been the officiating rather than the game itself. Did it affect the result? Probably not, with only one powerplay goal scored. Did the official have a bad day? It’s not for me to say.
I’ve met a lot of officials over my 33 years in the sport. Take the time to get to know them and you’ll realise they’re decent people. They aren’t getting rich by giving up their winter weekends; they’re doing it because they love the game. It’s an old adage: there is no game without them. When they step on the ice, they are doing so with the intention of calling the best, fairest game possible.
At any hockey game, there’s three teams. The home team, the visiting team, and team stripes! Give them a break!
