On this week's #RefsPodcast: Looking at the calls - and non-calls - from Games 5 and 6 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers What happened to all the penalties? Is Panthers’ Brad Marchand getting the jump on faceoffs? Are the refs ‘letting ‘em play’ or missing calls? Florida's Reinhart scores off his skate - legally - in Game 6. When was the last time we had no power plays in a Stanley Cup Final? Oilers’ Evander Kane picks up a misconduct then skips the ha...
Jun 18, 2025•22 min•Season 6Ep. 40
On this week's #RefsPodcast: Looking back at Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers as the series shifts south. Evander Kane finds himself in penalty trouble early… and again… and again. Before the end of the game, both teams piled on the penalty minutes, racking up the fourth-most minutes in a Stanley Cup Final Oilers’ Jake Walman commits the cardinal sin of squirting a water bottle , picking up a $5000 fine – and another $5000 for unsportsma...
Jun 14, 2025•21 min•Season 6Ep. 39
On this week's #RefsPodcast: The Stanley Cup Final is under way! The Oilers lose a goaltender interference challenge after the NHL rules that Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett was tripped into Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner We've got Bennett vs. Skinner 2: Electric Boogaloo in Game 2, with a penalty issued for goaltender interference More Bennett disruption as he gets away with interference after kicking Mattias Ekholm’s dropped stick out of his reach If you haven’t had enough of Sam Benn...
Jun 09, 2025•19 min•Season 6Ep. 38
On this week's #RefsPodcast: Rooney returns! NHL Stanley Cup Final Officials - who moves on and who’s been cut Congrats to the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals Officials Stars’ Hintz needs a doctor after a slash from Oilers’ Nurse. Oilers’ Kulak gets away with a puck-over-glass right before two quick Edmonton goals. The officials missed it, and you can’t challenge that. Stars’ Petrovic delivers a huge hit on Oilers’ Brown, but was it clean? Canes’ Aho goes low and take out the Panthers’ Reinhart - no penal...
Jun 03, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 37
On this week's #RefsPodcast: NHL officials who made - and missed - the cut for the NHL Conference Finals, including some surprises. Zebra down! We’ve seen standby officials called into action quite a few times in the playoffs, including after recent injuries to Kelly Sutherland and Chris Rooney. Canes’ Shayne Gostisbehere vs. Panthers’ Brad Marchand - we’ve got a puck shot at a player with no penalty or fine, followed by a mysterious extra penalty for Florida. What happened? It’s not only hard t...
May 24, 2025•18 min•Season 6Ep. 36
On this week's #RefsPodcast: Was it a kick? Or a deflection? Or both? Stars/Jets gives us a controversial goal that went off Alex Petrovic’s skate, off goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s stick and in. Did the Situation Room make the right call? Official injury updates; two linesmen are out for the playoffs NHL Series Supervisors - who are they and what do they do? Dallas Stars’ Mason Marchment slashes referee Graham Skilliter - and gets away with it A crosscheck to the face results in a $7000 fine t...
May 15, 2025•28 min•Season 6Ep. 35
On this week's #RefsPodcast: Creative crowd chants - more than just ‘ref you suck’ Officials set for the IIHF World Championship as well as in the OHL Championship Series and the USHL Clark Cup Final A minor incident at Leafs/Panthers between Sam Bennett and Anthony Stolarz results in an injury but no call, no fine, no suspension Referee Wes McCauley is called into duty as a linesman after an injury to Shandor Alphonso, working this lines for the first time in the NHL Florida Panthers’ Evan Rodr...
May 09, 2025•26 min•Season 6Ep. 34
On this week's #RefsPodcast: NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Round 2 officials announced! Double-review in Vegas as the Minnesota Wild's Ryan Hartman has a goal reviewed for a distinct kicking motion... and called back after an offside challenge. No penalty but a 2-game suspension to the Panthers' Aaron Ekblad for a hit on the Lightning's Brandon Hagel. Major penalty to Florida's Niko Mikkola for boarding Zemgus Girgensons. Blues' Brayden Schenn whistled for interference for a hit that injured Winnipeg ...
May 06, 2025•23 min•Season 6Ep. 33
On this week's #RefsPodcast: Sad to hear of the passing of longtime NHL linesman Will Norris and AHL linesman Paul Simeon Sabres’ Kulich misses the net, hits referee Peter MacDougall Liam Maaskant makes his NHL debut on the last day of the regular season KHL junior player suspended 7 games for elbowing a ref in the head Two game ban for Devils’ Paul Cotter No supplemental discipline to Yakov Trenin for his ice-level punch on Derek Forbort Oilers’ Darnell Nurse suspended 1 game by Player Safety f...
Apr 18, 2025•23 min•Season 6Ep. 31
On this week's #RefsPodcast: IIHF Women's World Championship Officials Frozen Four Refs and Lineys - Congrats to the Hockey East crew of Jeremy Tufts, Geoff Miller, Kevin Briganti, and Nick Briganti, as well as NCHC officials Ryan Hersey, Nathan Wieler, Tyler Liffrig, and Erik Contino who worked the semis Swiss League issues a four-game ban to Brendan Lemieux for punching a linesman The AHL dishes out a 10-game suspension to Bridgeport Islanders' Adam Beckman for hitting referee Mike Dietrich in...
Apr 12, 2025•21 min•Season 6Ep. 30
On this week's #RefsPodcast: Referee Ghislain Hebert and linesman Derek Nansen hanging up the skates… but not before getting in some late hits, with Nansen laying out Buffalo Sabres’ Peyton Krebs Minnesota Wild goaltender Jonas Gustavsson stops the puck on his back and - after review - keeps it from going over the line. Florida Panthers’ AJ Greer scores off his skate against the Montreal Canadiens but the goal is immediately waved off… then, after a brief discussion, allowed… then, after video r...
Apr 04, 2025•21 min•Season 6Ep. 29
On this week's #RefsPodcast: St. Louis Blues’ Zach Bolduc gets fined for a cross-check on Nashville Predators’ Nick Blankenburg, but avoids a penalty for a hit on Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ryan Lindgren. Boston Bruins’ Michael Callahan misses his assignment, gets beat on a goal, and cross-checks Anaheim Ducks’ Jansen Harkins in the neck, earning a penalty and a fine. Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola fires a buzzer-beater from the defensive end, barely missing Montreal Canadiens’ Davi...
Mar 29, 2025•19 min•Season 6Ep. 28
On this week's #RefsPodcast: Stripes getting set for the Stadium Series... will we get a Michigan or Ohio official in the house? Referee Justin Kea stays in the game after getting his 'bells rung' after a clearing attempt catches him in the undercarriage. Minnesota Wild winger Ryan Hartman has his suspension reduced by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, serving two fewer games and retaining nearly $100k in salary as a result of his appeal. Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras gets three games for hea...
Mar 01, 2025•20 min•Season 6Ep. 24
On this episode of the Scouting the Refs podcast, Todd and Josh discuss various topics related to hockey officiating, including the ever-increasing effectiveness of Coach's Challenges, some penalty calls from the recent Beanpot tournament, and the differences between NCAA and NHL rules. They also delve into the dynamics of fighting in the Four Nations tournament - which is not exactly an international event as it's played under NHL rules - and provide an update on Ryan Hartman's suspension and a...
Feb 17, 2025•18 min
Breaking down the ten-game suspension for Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman, and what comes next with his appeal to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and potentially an independent arbitrator. Hartman’s ban is the longest since Washington Capitals’ Tom Wilson was suspended for 20 games - reduced to 14 upon appeal - back in 2018-19. We dig into the appeal process – how Wilson’s was reduced and what might happen for Hartman. Double-review at Sens vs. Preds as an Ottawa Senators goal is first reviewe...
Feb 08, 2025•24 min
Minnesota Wild’s Ryan Hartman gets a match penalty for intent to injure after he slams the head of Ottawa Senators’ Tim Stutzle into the ice on a faceoff; Hartman will have an in-person hearing - allowing the league to suspend him for five games or more - with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. . More head contact at Devils vs. Sabres, as New Jersey’s Stefan Noesen catches Buffalo’s Tage Thompson up high, earning a match penalty but no supplemental discipline. Should the NHL institute a mult...
Feb 04, 2025•20 min
Episode 231 / January 25, 2025: It's a jam-packed week with tons of National Hockey League action. We're also joined by the North American Hockey League (NAHL)'s Keith Kaval and Kendall Hanley to discuss their upcoming NAHL Officiating Exposure Camps to help develop referees and linespersons. You've still got timt to sign up and join them - more info at NAHL.com or check out our post at scoutingtherefs.com. A pair of cross-checks to the head result in a pair of three-game suspensions at Oilers v...
Jan 26, 2025•30 min
Episode 229 / January 11, 2025: A pair of milestone games for refs Eric Furlatt and Chris Rooney, Leafs’ Domi and Senators’ Cousins, Ducks’ Helleson tossed - and nothing more - for kneeing Flames’ Zary. Was it the right call? Bolts/Bruins get spicy with a Lilleberg cross-check to the face, Bedard kicks it (but does he really?), the ref-cam returns, Quinn Hughes is the man-in-the-box for way longer than expected, and forget missed calls - we’ve got a dropped phone! ------------------ Visit scouti...
Jan 11, 2025•21 min
Episode 228 / January 4, 2025: So much for New Year’s Resolutions! The NHL Department of Player Safety has been busy handing out fines to Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov (high-sticking), Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Maroon (elbowing), and Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett (roughing), along with a three-game suspension to Nashville Predators’ Zachary L’Heureux for slew-footing. Finally, the refs and Player Safety called a slew-foot a slew-foot! New York Rangers’ winger Matt Rempe is still suspende...
Jan 05, 2025•24 min
Episode 227 / December 20, 2024: With the final #RefsPodcast before Christmas, we look at who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, along with the airing of grievances in the spirit of Festivus! Linesman Travis Toomey injured, Detroit Red Wings’ Jonatan Berggren fined for cross-checking, San Jose Sharks’ coach Ryan Warsofsky fined $25,000 for comments towards the officials, and Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse picks up two for tripping and another two for mouthing off to referee Kelly Sutherland. We’ve go...
Dec 22, 2024•20 min
Episode 226 / December 13, 2024: Reminiscing about the good ol' days when the National Hockey League would lock an old man in a plexiglass phone booth for a few hours with only a button to press... and where technology has gotten us in the NHL. Get the pool ready -- we've got Josh Norris picking up a $2000 fine for diving, and John Tortorella considering teaching his Flyers how to do front double somersaults off the three-meter springboard. Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson couldn't keep the ...
Dec 15, 2024•22 min
Episode 225 / December 7, 2024: Fines, fines, everywhere fines as the Boston Bruins’ Nikita Zadorov and Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin each get $5000 fines. Buffalo Sabres’ Jeff Skinner pays up $2000 for diving/embellishment. Soo Greyhounds coach Over in the OHL, we’ve got a fine and suspension for a coach criticizing the refs, as well as a suspension for a teddy bear toss return; we offer up some alternative, more suitable punishments for Saginaw’s Michael Misa. Of course, we can’t go witho...
Dec 07, 2024•22 min
Episode 224 / November 30, 2024: It’s a crazy NHL schedule this week thanks to the Thanksgiving Holiday! On this week’s #RefsPodcast, the challenges of making - and staying in - the NHL as an official, Panthers’ Tkachuk called for interference without making contact, Timo Meier suspended for making plenty of contact with a cross-check to the face, questionable contact (if any) that led to an overtime goal by the Montreal Canadiens Nick Suzuki, and some contact below the belt from the Habs’ Brend...
Nov 30, 2024•22 min
Episode 223 / November 23, 2024: The NHL's Department of Player Safety finally did it... again. DOPS released a video explaining the rule around illegal checks to the head, including why a few players didn't get suspended. Of course, not all the players were so lucky. Toronto Maple Leafs winger Ryan Reaves picked up a five-game ban for an illegal check to the head of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, while Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud avoided a penalty - along with no ...
Nov 24, 2024•24 min
Episode 222 / November 16, 2024: Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn has his major penalty for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo reduced to a two-minute minor after review, Utah’s Michael Carcone picked up seven minutes in penalty after a one-sided scrap against Jack Drury of the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s a three-review game at Leafs vs. Caps, with a disallowed goal from Toronto’s Steven Lorentz that wasn’t a kick, another Leafs no-goal after a goal deflected with an allegedly high sti...
Nov 17, 2024•23 min
Episode 221 / November 9, 2024: We’re seeing double this week with two reviews - and two pucks on the ice. Plus, Todd and Josh are joined by Tyler Nimmons, director and executive producer of ECHL Unfiltered. The Avalanche had a goal taken away for offside, only to have it reinstated a moment later after a protest from the Avs’ bench delayed the faceoff long enough for the Situation Room to go back and check out a key detail that they missed under Rule 83.1. Islanders head coach Patrick Roy had h...
Nov 10, 2024•37 min
Let the coaches’ challenges begin! One week into the season, we’ve already seen challenges for goaltender interference, offside, and missed stoppages. We’ve got two minutes to Detroit Red Wings’ Christian Fisher for breaking his stick after an icing. Brendan Dillon of the New Jersey Devils sees his major penalty for interference on Buffalo’s J.J. Peterka reduced to a minor, a Kraken goal from Jamie Oleksiak wiped out for an offside, Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller answers the bell and eventually ...
Oct 12, 2024•20 min
Game on! The regular season is officially here. We've got goaltender interference in Columbus, possible penalty reviews, and ECHL rulebook adjustments. Toronto Maple Leafs' Cedric Pare's knee-on-knee hit on Montreal Canadiens' Patrik Laine, and the aftermath with Arber Xhekaj going after Pare and picking up instigator, aggressor, and fighting penalties along with a $3,385 fine. Xhekaj also made headlines - and picked up a major penalty - for a high hit on Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators; did ...
Oct 06, 2024•20 min
On this week's #RefsPodcast: Cal Foote suspended by Slovakia, OHL adds 24 new officials, moving from lines to ref, Detroit Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin goes headhunting on Chicago Blackhawks’ A.J. Spellacy, New York Rangers’ Brennan Othmann delivers an unpenalized blindside hit on Boston Bruins’ Parker Wotherspoon who eventually picks up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for throwing his helmet. A Philadelphia Flyers goal is disallowed against the Montreal Canadiens despite no actual interference on...
Sep 28, 2024•19 min
Wrapping up NHL Officials training camp, the NHL releases a rule change update video, and QMJHL officiating updates. Todd and Josh go through The Athletic’s recent player survey covering the NHL standings, overtime, shootout goals, and post-game ref press availability. Plus, should the NHL’s Department of Player Safety set minimum standards for suspensions? ------------------- Visit scoutingtherefs.com and follow @scoutingtherefs and @toddlewissports on Twitter/X, Instagram, and Threads. Email u...
Sep 21, 2024•23 min
