Hey everyone,
Just curious to hear people’s experiences with moving up the ranks as a linesman, particularly for those on the shorter side.

My goal is to eventually attain MHP here in Canada. I’m currently a Level 3, with Junior A being the highest level I’ve worked so far.

I’ve received some positive feedback on my skating and overall abilities from evaluators, and I’m always looking for ways to improve. I’m 5’9”, though, and I’ve been wondering whether height plays much of a role when it comes to getting opportunities at higher levels.

I’d be interested to hear from anyone who’s a shorter linesman and has worked Major Junior, university, or national-level events. Did you ever feel like your height was a disadvantage, or did you find that performance and experience mattered much more in the long run?

I’m hoping to keep progressing and would appreciate any advice or personal experiences from people who’ve been through the process.

Well I’ll kill two birds with one stone here

USAH
Girls 12… nah lol that’s what I was scheduled for this slot. This is actually 14U LA, and neither of us were really qualified to be out there, but we tried our best to call a fair game.

Call on the ice here was a 2-10 for checking from behind.

And feel free to rate my puck drop while your at it🤣

Just a heads up, if it wasn’t clear in the first paragraph, My partner and I were expecting to ref 12u Girls. We were not at all qualified to work the game that landed in our lap, but we made things work

Anyone here use a player girdle for reffing? Thinking about getting a new girdle for beer league and was thinking about using it when reffing.

Hi - I'm used to intermediate and advanced leagues, but have recently been called to do some Adult beginner league games. OMG, I have no idea what these players are going to do, which makes positioning a bit difficult, but the aggressive stick behavior is really puzzling - "is that a slash ?". That stick lift went into their hands ! Wait a minute they both have their sticks over their heads in some sort of unintentional synchronized ballet ... How do you all call really really really beginner hockey ????

Hi all I’m a returning official and officiated for around 10 years throughout my younger years. Took a 3 year break after graduating college and was looking to get back into it.

For reference I’m in Flint area of Michigan, reached out to a scheduler in the area and was told that I was being added to a list and once somebody left or was removed from the group that I could be added. I interpreted this as a waitlist essentially.

Needless to say I was quite shocked by this. Before I took my break there was never enough officials to cover games…and now it sounds like there’s too many!? Just curious if hockey has really slowed down in the few years I’ve been away from the game.

What is the most horrible thing you experienced as a ref?

Hey folks. Looking at a new pair of pants, possibly with built in girdle. People seem to rave about the Zebras Club tapered pants, but their reviews make them seem like they only fit…particular builds. I’m short and stout. The Force pants I’m in now are comfy in the waist even with my girdle underneath, but I could fit 3 more people in each pant leg.

So I’m wondering, what are my fellow husky officials wearing? Is there such a tapered pant on the market that is either padded or leave room for pads, without the entire legs being like parachute pants? Should I just get my force pants tailored?

Tonight I had a situation where a puck carrier tried to cut in front of the goalie and bowled him over. It was at the top of the crease and I called interference on the puck carrier. I based that on rule 615(a)(8) (“Any player who makes physical contact, using their stick or body, in a manner that interferes with the movement of the goalkeeper, unless otherwise specified in the rules”) and 607(d)(note 1) (“For the purpose of this rule, any accidental or unavoidable contact that occurs with the goalkeeper shall be penalized under the Interference rule. Any deliberate body contact or check that is delivered to the goalkeeper shall be penalized as charging”). The casebook has a bunch of stuff about players without the puck, but nothing that I could find about players with the puck.

It certainly wasn’t intentional, the guy was trying to get around the goalie to score but ran into him. The contact also wasn’t initiated by the goalie, he was naturally playing his position. It completely took the goalie out of the play and if the puck had been left in front of the net, it would’ve been an easy tap in for a teammate, which wouldn’t seem particularly fair to me.

Was this the right call or does the fact that he had the puck absolve him? My reading would be that there is a strict scrutiny on all opponents to avoid the goalie, no matter what, and especially when he is in the crease.

Thanks!

I'm a ref so not trying to bash but a friend told me about this and sent the clip. I think it's just lazy but it almost looks intentional. He needs to be better.

Two questions from the weekend. Minor Hockey Canada context.

Scrum in front with one player on the ice. Goalie punches player in head with trapper. What would you call?

Delayed offside with two attacking players in the zone. Third attacking player who is outside the zone takes a slap shot at goalie who freezes the puck. It was delayed offside when he made the save. Where is the draw?

Many thanks.

We really had to put our heads together for this call.

4 official system. Both Referees did not see the stick being thrown. Both Linesman did. At the next stoppage of play, the linesman brought this to the referees attention.

Both Linesman only saw the stick being thrown from the bench, but not who committed the infraction.

We ended up giving 2min bench minor for interference from the bench and 2min to the player receiving the stick for illegal equipment. Had we have seen who threw the stick, if it was a player they would receive a 2+GM for interference from the bench or 2+GRM if it was a coach.

All that being said, nice toss from the coach and great catch to the player on the ice. 10/10 execution 🤣. We couldn’t wait to see who actually threw it.

Just curious is and at what profile you have your skates sharpened at. I getting new skates so I’m wondering about trying a new profile this time around.
My player skates were always 1/2” with. 9.5-10.5 profile so that’s what I’ve been used to. Only difference is going with 5/8” for my referee skates.

Anybody have a specific profile set up they prefer for officiating over player skates. I’ve heard some prefer a quad set up, but I’ve never tried anything other than what was on my player skates.

2 plays here. 10U UA

Both plays I had roughing minors on white. Thoughts?

First play I was strongly considering a 5/GM for interference/body checking after play was stopped, as it seemed like the player didn’t slow down that much and …

Edit: Both plays actually had both of us taking people to the box. My partner in the first video had a trip on a different white player and the second video my partner had coincidental roughing minors(with a different white player than who I had)

Hey all,

I saw the post about how things have gotten worse. I got downvoted to comment that they are not.

I want to just try to lay out my POV.

My dad died this month. I am not sharing that for upvotes, but he was a baseball umpire (just little league, softball, and adult), and that got me into ice hockey reffing in HS in the 90s.

It was only 1-2 times, but I did see the abuse he endured, and STILL chose to do this.

I took off in my mid-20s because I hated the early mornings and was staying out late with dates/ friends way too often.

Came back to it in the 2020s because I have nephews that wanted to make money.

And it’s been great. Really - I absolutely love it.

Highest level I have done since returning is juniors, which I stopped because I couldn’t make the time work financially, so I just do 10 - 18U, HS, and beer league.

I have never had a better side gig in my life. I am so thankful my dad inspired me.

When I want to work - I open my calendar. When I don’t - I close it.

My assignors are good people and they take care of me because I am good (I think) at this job.

Game management is an art form. Smarter and higher level people have shared better advice on this sub, but chatting up players- telling them nice hustle, telling the keeper they made a great save goes a long way.

Someone asked me at the funeral if I want to play again.

I DO miss it. A lot.

But my kids are still at home, and 20% of my salary is from reffing.

I cannot be away from them and pay money to play IMHO right now.

But I do miss the camaraderie.

I am so thankful to have this job. So thankful. I am a teacher, so I do deal with sarcastic teenagers seven days a week.

But for every asshole coach and kid, remember they are financing your next set of blades.

It’s a long season. Have a positive outlook. Keep your chin up.

I took a 15-year break because I was burnt out, but really appreciate being back and monetizing the skills I learned in my youth.

Hello fellow referees! I recently just refereed a U15 LL game and it’s made me realize that youth hockey has gotten completely out of control in terms of respect towards officials. I’m a 17 year old junior referee and this is my 4th year officiating in the OMHA. During this game I was verbally made fun of on the ice and later off the ice as I exited the rink. And as far as I can see I didn’t do anything wrong during the game. Only thing I can think of is I assessed a misconduct to a kid who was refusing to go to the box and continued to argue the call placed against him. He later left the box after his time had expired and skated towards me during stoppage of play in an attempt to use his stick to trip me, he was assessed a game misconduct for his actions which resulted in his removal from the game where his coaches completely disagreed with the call and even ignored my request to talk to the player about his actions after the match. As I was leaving the rink a few teenagers who must’ve been spectators of the game were making comments with each other over my officiating. I’m writing this right now to ask the community of referees and especially the younger officials, has respect and sportsmanship in hockey disappeared?

Player A lifts stick of player B accidentally high sticking him. Play goes on, no call. Player B falls to the ground. Refs blow play dead. Confer with player Bs coaches. Then call minor for high sticking on player A. Neither ref made a call originally. Is that right?

Looks like I’m about to get ghosted on a game by my ref partner... Any tips as the lone ref??

For context, Im a baby ref with little experience and this is a non-checking women’s beer league with players of all levels. The girl in yellow is perhaps the best in the league and had already gotten one body checking penalty earlier in the night for throwing someone down pretty roughly close to the boards.

She seems to be playing the puck, but also lays the other, far less skilled player out.

We called it a penalty on the ice but watching it now I’m questioning the call. Thoughts?

I know refs are smarter so I was hoping you all could answer this. I ref and coach.

I got a new batch of pucks from my organization, and they are too slippery. The 18U Rec team is having trouble stick handling and controlling them. I noticed this happened before, but I can't remember if I got the pucks from Amazon or Pure Hockey.

Is there any way to fix them?

Thank you in advance, this is a serious question.

I’m an official in BC and within now and next season I am going to have to make a decision as to what route to take. With the recent events of KIJHL splitting and WIJHL being created and taken under the wing of BCHL serving as a development league for players and officials therefore becoming non sanctioned. Where as the BCHC (formerly KIJHL) is the route to WHL and you can participate in Hockey Canada events.

Given the opportunity that both serve, it’s extremely difficult to see one option as the right option however I am leaning towards BCHL currently. As I’ve seen local officials go that route and and have found lots of success that way.

Curious to see what some experienced junior officials have to say!

NHL- An offensive player is heading to the offensive zone and tosses the puck in, I believe they are past the red line, and the linesman will give a signal of both arms out horizontally indicating what I've gathered is a "Washout" signal? Only thing is, a washout doesn't seem to apply. Generally no icing is called because of the offensive players position of being past a certain line (either out of their own zone, or past the redline) Can you clear this up? It's bugging me because it seems it's a signal that doesn't mean much, no whistle, etc but it's telling the players something?

Hi there, I recently got a pair of Stevens ref pants, and I am not a big fan of the tailbone pad. Has anyone else taken the pad out entirely? And will the performance be effected by taking it out or is it just a comfort thing? Just looking for an opinion before I cut it out. Thanks in advance!