Paul Stewart: Jump in the Fire: My NHL Reffing Debut

Paul Stewart: Jump in the Fire: My NHL Reffing Debut
- Paul Stewart

Great read!! I likely was watching that game.

I remember watching that Habs'/B's game too Stewie. As a hockey historian myself, I love the material about Bill Sr. (some of which you have told me before), and have always preached how important it is in helping appreciate our game more by knowing ... and respecting ... its past!

Like your grandfather and the Black Hawks, another NHL team to be coached by a referee, Hall of Famer J. Cooper Smeaton, was the 1930-31 Philadelphia Quakers, although the results were quite different! Smeaton's Quakers lasted all of one season in Philadelphia during which they set a still standing NHL record for fewest wins in a season at just four (4-36-4) before folding at the end of the season. It would be another 36 years before the NHL would return to Philadelphia with the Flyers in 1967.


Ex-ref Cooper Smeaton's 1930-31 NHL Philadelphia Quakers

fantastic stuff Paul, keep 'em coming.

I'm starting to really look forward to Paul's blogs. What a coup getting him to write his thoughts and relive his very interesting past.

Appointment blogging at its finest.

best ref in the game ever. You never had to worry about cheap calls or a ref ducking the players for an explanation. Paul let the players play and called the penalties that needed to be called.

If Paul was reffing, I felt like the game would be won by the better team, not at all what I felt if say, Rob Shick, was the ref for the night.

Good read.