NHL refs need more communication with off-ice officials
In an increasingly fast NHL, it’s harder than ever for referees to get calls right in real time, even with two referees and two linesmen on the ice at all times.
With the NHL general manager meetings underway, there’s an opportunity for discussion around ways to limit video reviews and increase officiating efficacy.
On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL defenseman Colby Cohen discussed why adding an eye-in-the-sky official would be a change worth looking into.
Tyler Yaremchuk: I wanted to throw this question your way. Colby, if you could take the floor, if they gave you the podium, you had the little mic in front of you, you stood in front of the 32 GMs, what is one thing about the state of the NHL that you would want to get off your chest?
Colby Cohen: So here’s what I’m doing, Tyler. I’m taking an official and I’m putting them upstairs. I’m either getting one off the ice and putting them upstairs, and I don’t mean an off-ice official person, I mean somebody who works the game, whether it’s a referee or on the lines at this level. So you’re either adding someone to the crew, or my opinion would be, take someone off the crew potentially. I’m just flushing this out, and I’d want to know from an official if this is something they would even like. I’m putting them upstairs and I’m putting an earpiece on him and I’m giving an earpiece to someone on the ice. I’m not saying there needs to be talk back. I’m just saying the game has gotten so fast. We need to help these guys out. I think it will alleviate a lot of the reviews. I think they’ll get more calls right in real time with an eye above. I think it is the game has just gotten too fast. The coaches get replay. The video coaches have replay. I’m between the benches, Tyler, calling a game. I’ve got nine things to look at and nine replays. Everybody wants to do away with the reviews and the long reviews. I think if you put somebody upstairs who actually is a referee, not just an off ice official who’s already got his computer, who’s already going through everything and who is communicating directly with the official while the game is happening live, I think you are able to take the percentage of calls they get right and they elevate it. I think the domino effect of that is to get rid of some of the long reviews, some of the missed calls.
You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…