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Congratulations go out to NHL linesman Mark Wheler for working his 1,500th game over a career that now spans 23 years in the league. He reached the feat last Friday in Calgary when he officiated a game between the Flames and Anaheim Ducks. Only referee Paul Devorski and linesmen Brad Lazarowich, Mike Cvik, Shane Heyer, and Brian Murphy have worked more games than Mark among currently active NHL officials.
Wheler first broke into the NHL during the 1992-93 season. I was in my sixth season as an NHL referee and my ninth year of officiating after my playing career when Wheler made his debut in the league. I don't know whether that makes me feel young or old that he is still in the league and going strong 22 years later, but I do know that it takes something special to make it this long in hockey officiating.
Young officials can do themselves a favor by looking at what veterans like the aforementioned gentlemen have in common. Styles and personalities may differ but there are some common traits that are crucial to making it in the modern game.
Today's blog focuses on non-technical generalities about successful officiating. For some practical in-game strategies for referees and linesmen, click here and here.
I have also noticed over the years that far too many trainers of young officials see only a guy's current skill set and weaknesses. They lack a vision and a commitment to a better finished product down the road. When I work with young officials, I try to hammer home three keys concepts that are crucial to success and longevity:
1) Great conditioning contributes to great positioning. One part of officiating -- and of the sport as a whole -- that has changed for the better over the last 30 years has been the greatly increased emphasis placed upon physical fitness and conditioning. Nowadays, I dare say that professional referees and linesmen are equal or sometimes even better conditioned than many of the players, in terms of both their skating and cardiovascular conditioning.
An official may or may not be a naturally superb skater. He can work on that. He can work on improving his positioning. If he gets himself into top physical condition, those other areas can fall into place because great conditioning contributes to superb positioning. He can develop game psychology and sharpen his communication skills. While fundamental hockey sense can't really be taught, it can be nurtured in someone who has that nascent sense.
However, without being in top-notch physical condition, a contemporary official simply cannot make it or last long in this profession.
if you don't have a high degree of self-discipline and self-motivation for fitness, you aren't cut out for the modern business. Referees and linesmen live out of suitcases virtually the entire season. There are few nights spent in your own bed, few home cooked meals and no "home games" per se unless you are working a game in or near the city where you live.
Things like food portion control, limiting intake of bad cholesterol, making time for off-ice exercise (and, if need be, doing injury rehab work) and getting sufficient rest are largely an individual responsibility for officials to balance against constant travel, sleeping in hotels and eating either on their own or with their officiating teammates. This is an area where players have a built-in personal fitness advantage over officials during the season, because the teams largely structure their day-to-day routines for them and the trainers travel with the club.
2) Positioning sells calls. Yes, you've heard me say this dozens of times in my blogs. You'll hear it dozens more. An official's positioning is the very first area one should look when looking at what happened on a particular call. In order to make proper calls as to whether pucks are covered or loose in scrambles around the net, sometimes the referee needs to move to a better vantage point. Skate where you need to skate to see what you need to see.
When the positioning aspect of officiating is not coached properly, if at all, the number of missed calls increases significantly. This is a big part of the root cause of the "inconsistent officiating" that people gripe about endlessly.
What is a common trait of all top officials? They are almost always in ideal position.
3) Heart and desire count as much as pure talent. Officials are no different than players in this regard: Commitment and desire count as much as physical skills. Traits like work ethic, guts, honest self-critique and a genuine drive for self-improvement are things that a coach cannot provide. It has to come from inside. When I was an active official, I developed a style of overseeing games. I always believed -- and still do -- that flow is paramount. I prided myself on calling games the same way all season, regardless of the venue or the date on the calendar. I had much more fear of fudging a call than of being criticized for getting one wrong.
Throughout the season, I would self-critique my work. I also never minded constructive criticism from peers or supervisors; in fact I welcomed it.
What I did NOT respond to was constant negative feedback that stemmed either a) from people who wanted to drive me out of the game and/or b) had no constructive suggestions to offer, poor communication skills and no clear-cut vision of what an effective official should be.
I have had some great coaches and teachers and I have also seen my share of lousy ones. A good coach or teacher puts his charges in position to succeed, and communicates both expectations and instructions clearly.
No one in this game -- I don't care if he's a player, coach, GM, or official -- can be successful without good teachers and mentors along the way. However, it is up to the individual what he chooses to do with the words of wisdom he receives.
One also has to know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. Absorb what is useful and discard what is not, and tweak things to find what works for you.
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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Today, Stewart is an officiating and league discipline consultant for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and serves as director of hockey officiating for the ECAC.
The longtime referee heads Officiating by Stewart, a consulting, training and evaluation service for officials. Stewart also maintains a busy schedule as a public speaker, fund raiser and master-of-ceremonies for a host of private, corporate and public events. As a non-hockey venture, he is the owner of Lest We Forget.
In addition to his blogs for HockeyBuzz every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Stewart writes a hockey column every Wednesday for the Huffington Post.