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Anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis knows that I am not afraid to take the NHL to task for things that I think they get wrong, whether it's the wording of the Rule Book, the current replay procedures, the running of the Hockey Operations Department and the coaching and direction that on-ice officials receive. However, I am also not afraid to say when I think they got something right.
When I saw the officials picked for the two Game 7s in the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, I nodded my head affirmatively. The NHL got it right in both games with the officials they picked: Wes McCauley and Kevin Pollack (referees) with Brian Murphy and Derek Amell (linesmen) for the Rangers-Tampa game and Kelly Sutherland and Dan O'Halloran (referees) with Pierre Racicot and Shane Heyer (linesmen) for Anaheim-Chicago.
Don't bother trying to debate or nitpick any particular plays or calls from those two games with me, because I'm not going there. I'm talking about overall officiating skill and accumulated bodies of work. Each and every one of these guys are damn good officials. Earlier today, the NHL announced that Wes, Kevin, Kelly and Dan will also be the referees working the Stanley Cup Final and Murph, Derek, Pierre and Shane will be the linesmen.
I am thrilled for each of these guys. All deserve the honor.
I am very proud of Wes in particular. He had a tough transition to make in his early years, going from being a player (Michigan State University, and a former minor league player after being drafted by the Detroit Red Wings) to a referee. The fact that his late father, my mentor John McCauley, was a top NHL referee and the league's director of officiating until his untimely death in 1989, actually put that much more pressure on Wes.
Although folks at the NHL might not want to admit it nowadays, there were quite a few people who said back then Wes wouldn't make it. He proved them wrong and has become an outstanding official. Wes wears uniform number 4 because it was his goal to become half the ref John (who wore number 8) was; which would still be a hell of a good referee.
Well, Wes has surpassed that goal over the years. He has good hockey sense, solid positioning and is a strong communicator. John would be very, very proud and I know of no higher compliment than that. Likewise, Kevin's dad, Clarke Pollock, was a really good referee from Kincardine, and he has made his father proud by the way he has developed as an official.
Meanwhile, linesman Murphy just keeps going and going like an Energizer bunny. He stays in tremendous physical condition. I've told this story before, but it's a funny one.
The pride of Dover, NH, Bob's Big Boy (as I call Murph) and I go way back together and are close friends to this day. I was the referee in his first game, when the Washington Capitals played host to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 7, 1988.
I'll tell you about the first time I met Murph. We were slated to work a September AHL game together in Hershey, PA, and met up in Harrisburg before we drove to the game. Across the street from our hotel was a Bob's Big Boy restaurant with a huge All-You-Can-Eat Buffet sign in the window. The price was agreeable.
So we sit down in the place and Brian, a strapping tall guy who stands about 6-foot-2 and weighed about 230 pounds at the time, proceeds to consume mass quantities. Two big salads heaping with bacon pieces, cheese, croutons and dressing on the top. Two bowls of soup. Then to top it all off, he devours not one but two Bob's Big Boy burgers.
I watched in amazement as Murph kept packing away the vittles.
"Is that what you normally eat?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. "I'm hungry."
I locked eyes with Brian, just as he popped another french fry into his mouth.
"If you keep doing that, you're gonna to eat yourself right out of this business," I said. "I'll tell you what, though. If you want, I might be able to get you a job as the Big-Boy Bob on top of the restaurant."
Nowadays, Brian and I chuckle over that story. Anyone who knows what Murph has done in the years since then knows that he subsequently decided to get real, real serious about his conditioning. He became one of the best-conditioned athletes -- rivaling or exceeding even many players -- in the NHL.
I am happy for the players who make it the Stanley Cup Finals, because I know how much hard work and dedication it takes. But my chest swells with pride when I see officials whom I knew when he was just starting out blossom into a top referee or linesman and earn a deserved reward for it. Congrats on a job well done, guys.
Best of luck to the Lightning, Blackhawks and the officials selected for the Final. Can't wait for the drop of the puck on Wednesday.
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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 Eastern College Athletic Conference (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 column every Wednesday for the Huffington Post.