I couldn't agree more Stewy. I knew John well both as an on ice official and as Director of Officiating. I also will never forget learning about his untimely passing. I was vacationing in Maine at the time when I read it in the paper and the news literally ruined the rest of my summer. As I did with yours as both a player and official, I have also followed Wes's career through the AHL where he was working when the late AHL linesman Mike Condon introduced me to him, and now as a top NHL official of whom his father would be extremely proud.
Few people know that John is the reason that Eric Lindros wore the number 88. As a junior player he was a friend and teammate of Wes on the Toronto St. Michaels Buzzards. John was a close family friend of the Lindros's and served as a voice of reason for Eric when the pressure started to get to him when the media started to take notice of his talent.
As an NHL referee, McCauley wore the number 8 and had just passed away when Eric went to Detroit Compuware, and as in tribute to John, Eric wore the number 8. When he went to the Oshawa Generals, the number 8 was already taken, however, so he changed the number to 88 which in hockey soon became synonymous with the name Eric Lindros.
Wes McCauley made his debut as an NHL referee in 2003 following in his father's footsteps, and also wears 4 in tribute to his father saying "I'll only be half the man he ever was".
John and Wes McCauley 
