Paul Stewart: Cross-Training Officials

This is a bit extreme. First off, the current refs have enough trouble understanding the rules and implementing them to the game. Now, you want the linesmen to step in and turn into a ref? That is a stupid idea right now. Train the refs first to be able to manage the game properly, then maybe bring this idea into training after that.

Maybe a better idea for current day, when a ref goes down to injury, suspend the game until 2 refs are able to complete the game. (yes it's as silly as having a linesman play ref).

Power,

The NHL officials do a great job. This is a professional sport, most people do not know the rules and all fans and coaches do is whine about what they don't like, hurts their team, or if coaches, trying to buy the next call from the officials. The point of the matter is all officials are human; that means they will make mistakes and you can't replay every close call to get perfection on every call. Even video review on some close calls does not help because of how close the call is or how the rule is written.

God can officiate NHL games perfectly. Nobody else can.

If you think Hockey is bad, I am not sure I have ever heard of a Premier League game where the officials are complimented for their good work, World Cup games are worse.

Paul, I have no idea how officials are trained and what their responsibilities are other than in a very general way. How difficult would it be to cross-train officials? Are the responsibilities each crewman has so different it takes years of experience to do them correctly? Do new officials at lower levels work only lines or referee, or do they do both?

In an NFL or NCAA D1 FB crew a referee has very different responsibilities than a side judge, but if an official gets hurt they can make adjustments. Is it that hard to do with NHL officials?

Power,

The NHL officials do a great job. This is a professional sport, most people do not know the rules and all fans and coaches do is whine about what they don't like, hurts their team, or if coaches, trying to buy the next call from the officials. The point of the matter is all officials are human; that means they will make mistakes and you can't replay every close call to get perfection on every call. Even video review on some close calls does not help because of how close the call is or how the rule is written.

God can officiate NHL games perfectly. Nobody else can.

If you think Hockey is bad, I am not sure I have ever heard of a Premier League game where the officials are complimented for their good work, World Cup games are worse.

Paul, I have no idea how officials are trained and what their responsibilities are other than in a very general way. How difficult would it be to cross-train officials? Are the responsibilities each crewman has so different it takes years of experience to do them correctly? Do new officials at lower levels work only lines or referee, or do they do both?

In an NFL or NCAA D1 FB crew a referee has very different responsibilities than a side judge, but if an official gets hurt they can make adjustments. Is it that hard to do with NHL officials?
- jkumpire

There have been linesmen who have become referees -- Koharski being a famous example -- and each knows the rudiments of the others' work (which is how I was able to sub as a linesman a few times in an emergency, though I was hardly the equivalent in proficiency). Cross-training can increase the knowledge base but, of course, involves time and resources.

so we hear about wingers that have played center. or centers playing a wing. even defensemen playing forward and vice versa. is it really asking a lot for a referee to be a linesman, for a game, in a pinch? i would think to be an on ice official, at the NHL level, it would not be that big of a deal.

Paul,

If it involves time and resources then it ought to be a no-brainer decision by the league. The on-ice officials are full-time professionals, the league has cash on hand, and if they can get games and series set up to test new rules or concepts for new rules, they can find a way to get linesmen and referees to switch positions and get on-ice experience. Maybe they can get this to happen in team training camps and certainly it can be done in preseason games.

Especially transitioning from linesman to referee would be very difficult, with all the rules knowledge and judgement to make calls in the flow of a game. But I can sure see why 2 R's and one L is the better call than the one R system.

Thank you for answering my questions, I really enjoy reading your posts.

Paul,

If it involves time and resources then it ought to be a no-brainer decision by the league. The on-ice officials are full-time professionals, the league has cash on hand, and if they can get games and series set up to test new rules or concepts for new rules, they can find a way to get linesmen and referees to switch positions and get on-ice experience. Maybe they can get this to happen in team training camps and certainly it can be done in preseason games.

Especially transitioning from linesman to referee would be very difficult, with all the rules knowledge and judgement to make calls in the flow of a game. But I can sure see why 2 R's and one L is the better call than the one R system.

Thank you for answering my questions, I really enjoy reading your posts.
- jkumpire

is there an officials union? sounds like something that would be collectively bargained.