[NHL] Second Round Playoff Officials

[cball1985]

www.nhlofficials.com/es2083/cat244/featured-nhloa-news

[tj]

Referees Out: 3-Leggo, 10-P. Devorski, 11-Sutherland, 16-Pochmara, 18-Kimmerly, 20-Peel, 38-St. Laurent, 40-Kozari

First time in the second round for 32-Kowal and 34-Meier.
Biggest surprise out is 11-Sutherland (2-time finalist); milder surprise out is 40-Kozari

Linesmen Out: 54-G. Devorski, 56-Wheler, 66-Gibbs, 77-Nowak, 86-Lazarowich, 89-Miller, 91-Henderson, 96-Brisebois.

First time in the second round for 50-Cherrey. 74-Cameron in second round for first time since 2009.
Biggest surprise outs: 54-G. Devorski and 89-Miller.

[lefty17]

I'm surprised Tim Peel is one and done.

[tj]

Second year in a row that Peel has not made the second round.

[impz45]

I also was surprised with Sutherland and Kozari as I expected Kozari to get to Finals this year. As a younger Referee, I thought he was right up there on the same path with O'Rourke and Rooney as "youngsters" on the rise.

Disappointed in Devorski not moving further, I thought in his "prime" he was better than McCreary.

[mike]

Cannot say that there are any real surprises. Maybe would have put Kozari or Sutherland ahead of Furlatt or Brad Meier based on the games I saw in Round 1 but there are some officials on the list who are on every year no matter how well or how poorly they do. In that regard I like NFL or MLB more when it comes to officiating the later playoff rounds. Do not get me started on how I do not like that officials in their last year are not assigned playoff games. I understand wanting the official to go out on their own terms at their choice of stadiums, but if a retiring official is good enough to work the playoffs give it to him and maybe ask if there is any specific location in the playoffs that he would prefer as his final game (assuming the league knows ahead of time who will work each round). I find it hard to believe that the same officials are the top ranked EVERY YEAR and if an official is that bad that he cannot progress or is consistently out of the playoffs why does he still have a job?

[tj]

Well at least there was some movement this year with Kowal and Meier making the second round for the first time. Sutherland out already is a surprise to me.

Here's the interesting thing that's worth watching (and may play in to your thinking, mike). This year the NHL hired FIVE new referees-in-training for the AHL. This after they "fired" one - David Banfield, and Marcus Vinnerborg decided to go back to Sweden. They now have 9 "in-training." Typically they work their first year entirely in the AHL - then in the following year, they start giving them games in the NHL (typically about 10-20 a year while still working in the AHL). Jean Hebert is in his second year of NHL games, while Mark Lemelin, Darcy Burchell and Graham Skilliter all got NHL games for the first time this season.

That to me is a lot of folks in the hopper, which means either they're expecting some retirements (Devorski?, Van Massenhoven?) or they'll do some cutting (like Auger this past year?) of folks who aren't making the grade. It'll be worth watching.

[mike]

tj, Devorski, Dave Jackson, Dennis LaRue all date back to the 1980's according to NHLOA's website and if you expand to 1992 you also have Walkom, Van Massenhoven, O'Halloran, and Martell. While some are still in their "prime" (personally I think Walkom is overrated) there are a number of NHL Referees who are closing in on 25 years (or have passed it). Also because the NHL has had a number of young officials flame out in recent years I think they may be trying to have more "in training" than are actually needed so if a few do not work out they still have enough to cover any retirements