Paul Stewart: A Little Reffing Psychology Goes a Long Way

Brilliant Stewie! Keep the blogs coming. I've read every one!

Personal Request: I would love to hear your take on the supposed "Montreal Bias" that many coaches, players, and of course, fans insist has been in place for years, whereby those folks claim the Habs get many calls on home ice.

Paul Stewart: A Little Reffing Psychology Goes a Long Way
- Paul Stewart

Another good read. Thanks Paul!

Paul, what is your impression of the Flyers organization and why they have become so easy to play?

Paul Stewart: A Little Reffing Psychology Goes a Long Way
- Paul Stewart

Great story!
It does seem to me that today's younger refs don't seem to communicate as well with players as refs did in the past and veteran refs still do today. Would you agree with that assessment?

Thanks all. Will talk about all these topics in upcoming blogs.

Re: the Flyers, I have been in Russia working with the KHL and haven't gotten to see much of Philly play this season. I have heard that Chief is not happy with the skating pace and decision making that has led to the record they have; so that's probably a large part of it.

awesome blog

Brilliant Stewie! Keep the blogs coming. I've read every one!

Personal Request: I would love to hear your take on the supposed "Montreal Bias" that many coaches, players, and of course, fans insist has been in place for years, whereby those folks claim the Habs get many calls on home ice.
- BOSS_TWEED

2013-14 2nd most penalized team in the league
2012-13 4th most penalized
2011-13 10th most
2010-11 9th most
2009-10 21st
2008-09 9th most
2007-08 15th
2006-07 18th
2005-06 15th


MTL draws penalties because they are small, fast and a bunch of pussies. On the other hand, they also get penalized a lot as shown above.

Another great blog Stewie to show the humanity and psychology of what goes on on the ice that spectators are not privy to but is so important in maintaining control of such a passionate and fast game. You, of course, were not only a great communicator as a ref but have always been one of my favorite hockey people to talk with in every place or circumstance.

Of the many officials I have known and observed over the past four plus decades, in addition to yourself two of the best practitioners of this by both observation and as reported to me by players and coaches alike (in addition to knowing them both well) were Kerry Fraser and the late John McCauley (current ref Wes McCauley's dad). It takes very special men such as yourself and them to do this important and far too underappreciated job without which our game could not exist.


Kerry Fraser and the late John McCauley

Thanks for the info. It looks like total minutes places them mostly in the middle of the pack. What I was referring to was the officiating on Montreal ice, not overall. Much of what I have heard/read about this over the years points to officiating in Montreal. I wonder what the season to season numbers looked like in the 70s & 80s.

Just wanted a referee's take on if/when/where any such bias ever existed.

2013-14 2nd most penalized team in the league
2012-13 4th most penalized
2011-13 10th most
2010-11 9th most
2009-10 21st
2008-09 9th most
2007-08 15th
2006-07 18th
2005-06 15th


MTL draws penalties because they are small, fast and a bunch of pussies. On the other hand, they also get penalized a lot as shown above.
- Symba007

Of the many officials I have known and observed over the past four plus decades, in addition to yourself two of the best practitioners of this by both observation and as reported to me by players and coaches alike (in addition to knowing them both well) were Kerry Fraser and the late John McCauley (current ref Wes McCauley's dad). It takes very special men such as yourself and them to do this important and far too underappreciated job without which our game could not exist.
- iScoop

Thanks scoop.

Kerry is a friend and was always helpful to me. John was my biggest influence and was always in my corner. As you know, I named my son McCauley in his honor.

Good stuff Stewie, how about my favorite story...."I think you know my husband." Now that was funny!! -Stepcolar

Thanks scoop.

Kerry is a friend and was always helpful to me. John was my biggest influence and was always in my corner. As you know, I named my son McCauley in his honor.
- Paul Stewart

You're welcome, Stewie. These were two of the very best to ever toot an NHL "Thunderer"!

Simply amazing stuff there, Mr. Stewart! Absolutely love these blogs!

In addition to the many great comments by other readers about the blogs, one of the things I like is that it really puts into perspective "the human side" of the NHL referees. Yes, I've "yelled" at a ref or two in the thousands of games I've seen, but a column like this (as well as Kerry Fraser's) makes me more sympathetic to the tough job the officials have and how they often attempt to "diffuse" volatile situations. It will definitely make me think twice about "giving it to a ref". Great job!

You're welcome, Stewie. These were two of the very best to ever toot an NHL "Thunderer"!
- iScoop

My fav refs were Bruce Hood, Bill McCreary and Don Koharski.


Linesman - John D'Amico RIP

Very interesting read.

I'm curious about the potential legal ramifications of having an on-ice official command a fight. Say if Kelly had been unfit to fight, got knocked out, and fell back and hit his head, badly injuring himself. Would he have legal recourse against Paul Stewart who essentially forced him into an altercation he didn't seek?

Very interesting read.

I'm curious about the potential legal ramifications of having an on-ice official command a fight. Say if Kelly had been unfit to fight, got knocked out, and fell back and hit his head, badly injuring himself. Would he have legal recourse against Paul Stewart who essentially forced him into an altercation he didn't seek?
- west_eh

Back in the 90's when the game policed itself nobody would think twice if a ref was "letting his linesmen know" what was about it happen. Its also not like it was Probert lined up with Gretzky and saying Probert and Gretzky are going to go. It's all about knowing the situation and handling the way you as a player would handle it.

Its like these junior games I work at home. You have a smaller player wearing a full cage yapping at a bigger player who is wearing a half shield but the yapping really goes to the next level when the linesmen get in. So as a linesmen sometimes you take a second or two longer to get in a scrum. The players get the point eventually and the nonsense stops.

Back in the 90's when the game policed itself nobody would think twice if a ref was "letting his linesmen know" what was about it happen. Its also not like it was Probert lined up with Gretzky and saying Probert and Gretzky are going to go. It's all about knowing the situation and handling the way you as a player would handle it.

Its like these junior games I work at home. You have a smaller player wearing a full cage yapping at a bigger player who is wearing a half shield but the yapping really goes to the next level when the linesmen get in. So as a linesmen sometimes you take a second or two longer to get in a scrum. The players get the point eventually and the nonsense stops.
- Stripes77

Thanks for the reply. I hear what you're saying about the old school mentality about self-policing and ref's using their judgement. But with what is known now about concussions, it seems like the NHL has a greater responsibility to protect players from head injuries. I would hope in today's NHL, if a player specifically expresses to a ref he doesn't want to fight because he's been in a few recently, that the ref wouldn't intentionally put him in a position to-do-so. I'm no expert, but I imagine that having some time off between fights is beneficial for long-term mental health. IMO, awarding a team a chincy two-minute minor penalty is a lesser evil than potentially exposing a player to long-term mental health issues.

For some players, the three most frightening words in hockey are when the referee says to his linesmen at the start of a tussle to "Let them go." There are times, however, when this message is delivered by the combatants to the officials and not the other way around.

I recall watching a game on TV played in Pittsburgh between the Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings being refereed by Kerry Fraser. Mid way through the game Pittsburgh's Marty McSorley and the late Bob Probert of the Wings got in a monumental tussle near the Penguins' net that must have lasted a minute and a half or more of nonstop hammer and tong action unimpeded by any intervention on the part of the officials. Neither man gave the other any quarter until it was over after which they each gave the other a respectful "tap" and headed to the penalty box.

The next night Kerry was in Philadelphia to work a Flyers' game and I ran into him in the hallway in the bowels of the Spectrum a couple of hours before the contest. I mentioned the tussle between McSorley and Probert the night before and asked why he didn't have the linesmen break it up earlier. "Well we tired to twice," Kerry said to me, "but each time the linesmen went in to separate them Marty and Bob both told them to 'Leave us alone, we're busy and we'll let you know when we are done' and so that's exactly what we did."

For some players, the three most frightening words in hockey are when the referee says to his linesmen at the start of a tussle to "Let them go." There are times, however, when this message is delivered by the combatants to the officials and not the other way around.

I recall watching a game on TV played in Pittsburgh between the Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings being refereed by Kerry Fraser. Mid way through the game Pittsburgh's Marty McSorley and the late Bob Probert of the Wings got in a monumental tussle near the Penguins' net that must have lasted a minute and a half or more of nonstop hammer and tong action unimpeded by any intervention on the part of the officials. Neither man gave the other any quarter until it was over after which they each gave the other a respectful "tap" and headed to the penalty box.

The next night Kerry was in Philadelphia to work a Flyers' game and I ran into him in the hallway in the bowels of the Spectrum an a couple of hours before the contest. I mentioned the tussle between McSorley and Probert the night before and asked why he didn't have the linesmen break it up earlier. "Well we tired to twice," Kerry said to me, "but each time the linesmen went in to separate them Marty and Bob both told them to 'Leave us alone, we're busy and we'll let you know when we are done' and so that's exactly what we did."
- iScoop

Those 3 words can be a refs best "weapon" I know I have used it more than once. Either they go and that's the end of the nonsense or they skate away and the nonsense usually stops there

What actually is going on on the ice when you hear the announcers state "it seems the referees have decided to put away their whistles for the third period"?

Funny article, and some good insight. While I appreciate the refs, and what their job entails, I am becoming increasingly frustrated at the consistency of the penalty calling. I wish that every player would get the same recognition, and not get "reputation" penalties. In addition, I am seeing more "fake" penalties such as diving, and embellishing. Finally, I am tired of stars getting better treatment than the rest of the players. I was watching the Vancouver/ Islanders game last night, and even the announcers were making some comments about this. Again, I understand that the ref can't see everything. However, when these situations happen multiple times in one game, it makes you wonder how the officiating is handled. Would you be able to share with us how the refs prepare for the game, and how they deal with the coaches when they see the "funny stuff" going on? It seams like, from what your saying, that a lot of stuff is settled on the ice where the fans can't see what is actually going on. I would like to think that if the fans, and the announcers see something that the refs notice it as well.
Thanks.

I seriously can not wait to read this blog every day.

Simply amazing stuff there, Mr. Stewart! Absolutely love these blogs!

In addition to the many great comments by other readers about the blogs, one of the things I like is that it really puts into perspective "the human side" of the NHL referees. Yes, I've "yelled" at a ref or two in the thousands of games I've seen, but a column like this (as well as Kerry Fraser's) makes me more sympathetic to the tough job the officials have and how they often attempt to "diffuse" volatile situations. It will definitely make me think twice about "giving it to a ref". Great job!
- AndreLacroix

Is this the real Andre, his son, or are you just using his name?

I seriously can not wait to read this blog every day.
- MBFlyerfan

Paul's blog will return tomorrow. The debut of Brad Marsh's weekly blog will be upcoming this morning.