Refs

[Kristi]

Here is a breakdown of the refs we have had this year and what games they hae reffed. Rehman has reffed the most Tips games this season.

Kyle Rehman
9/24/2005
10/26/2005
12/2/2005
12/16/2005
1/7/2006
1/14/2006
1/29/2006
2/4/2006
2/14/2006

Derek Zalaski
10/1/2005
11/11/2005
12/9/2005
1/13/2006
2/8/2006

Chris Savage
10/2/2005
10/29/2005
11/26/2005
12/18/2005
1/16/2006
1/25/2006
2/17/2006
2/24/2006

Andy Thiessen
10/8/2005
10/18/2005
10/28/2005
12/6/2005
1/8/2006
2/3/2006
2/12/2006

Sean Raphael
10/12/2005
11/18/2005
12/31/2005

Matt Kirk
10/16/2005

Rob Matsuaoka
10/21/2005
11/27/2005
12/17/2005
2/25/2006

Max Battimo
10/22/2005
11/19/2005

Pat Smith
10/23/2005
11/25/2005
1/11/2006
1/21/2006

Andrew Guest
10/30/2005

Ian Croft
11/2/2005
1/27/2006

Ryan Agar
11/4/2005
2/1/2006

Trevor Hrycuik
11/5/2005

Ryan Thompson
11/8/2005

Devin Klien
11/9/2005

Mark MacIsaac
11/12/2005
2/18/2006

Jason Nissen
11/22/2005

Derek Herman
12/3/2005
12/29/2005
2/10/2006

Cory McLean
12/10/2005
1/20/2006

[Redwic]

I am not a big Savage fan, but at least he tends to be consistent. That, plus apparently he has a past history with Constantine, which can make for good entertainment.

Rehman has reffed 9 Silvertips games, Thiessen has reffed 7 Silvertips games. In my opinion, that is too many for those characters. How about less of those guys, and more of Matsuoka?

And don't even get me started about Pat Smith...
---------------

I keep hearing about the shortage of refs in the WHL, or at least of "experienced" refs.

I understand why refs such as Savage, Zalaski, Rehman, Thiessen, etc. get more games than some of these other guys, when they have a lot of reffing experience/ WHL experience. However, some of these other lesser-seen refs might gain more experience if they see much varied action, especially between divisions and conferences. Every team plays a little different, and the refs need to get accustomed to different styles of play. Refs whom the Silvertips have seen only once this season (Kirk, Guest, Hrycuik, Thompson, Klein, Nissen) should be reffing at least two or three Silvertips games. And the same goes for every team.

It seems to me that type of philosophy will help the refs get accustomed to different teams and divisions, and the different teams will get more accustomed with those particular refs. Does anyone else agree that it would make the reffing-pool much deeper for the WHL? Any thoughts, anyone?

[Tipped Off]

Reffing is somewhat regionalized. Keep in mind this is a lower level of hockey. So costs do come into play. While there are no "boundries" the WHL does take into consideration region to keep travel to a minimum. That's why there are some officials we've never seen and others we see alot. My guess is this trend of officials on this list would hold true for Teams like Seattle and Vancouver as well.

I umpired baseball in the minor leagues of professional baseball a long time ago. I mostly umpired in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Although my home was nowhere near there, it seemed like I hit the same 7 or 8 stadiums much more often than some others. For the minor league, where they pay your trvel on a per mile basis, it just makes sense to keep the travel to a minimum while still trying to spread out a little.

My guess is that is what is going on here.

[Beaner]

Also dont forget that for the WHL refs this is not a full time job, and most if not all of the WHL refs have other jobs or are going to school etc.

A couple games back the Giants broadcast had the Director of Officiating on to talk about he refs during the intermission where they talked about the refs and their other gigs.

Turns out that Matt Kirk is a Law Student, studying at UVIC on Vancouver Island, so he has to travel from the island to the mainland to do any of the games, as an example.

When you take into account that these guys have to have other jobs to support themselves, I can see why we dont see certain refs etc as much, based purely on travel alone.

[Kristi]

I am not a big Savage fan, but at least he tends to be consistent. That, plus apparently he has a past history with Constantine, which can make for good entertainment.

Rehman has reffed 9 Silvertips games, Thiessen has reffed 7 Silvertips games. In my opinion, that is too many for those characters. How about less of those guys, and more of Matsuoka?

And don't even get me started about Pat Smith...
---------------

I keep hearing about the shortage of refs in the WHL, or at least of "experienced" refs.

I understand why refs such as Savage, Zalaski, Rehman, Thiessen, etc. get more games than some of these other guys, when they have a lot of reffing experience/ WHL experience. However, some of these other lesser-seen refs might gain more experience if they see much varied action, especially between divisions and conferences. Every team plays a little different, and the refs need to get accustomed to different styles of play. Refs whom the Silvertips have seen only once this season (Kirk, Guest, Hrycuik, Thompson, Klein, Nissen) should be reffing at least two or three Silvertips games. And the same goes for every team.

It seems to me that type of philosophy will help the refs get accustomed to different teams and divisions, and the different teams will get more accustomed with those particular refs. Does anyone else agree that it would make the reffing-pool much deeper for the WHL? Any thoughts, anyone?

The refs we have seen once were on the Central Trip. We won't see them again.

The refs are pretty much grouped by area. So we see the same ones over and over again. Once in a while we get a "stray" maybe due to illness or injury.

[Kristi]

Also dont forget that for the WHL refs this is not a full time job, and most if not all of the WHL refs have other jobs or are going to school etc.

A couple games back the Giants broadcast had the Director of Officiating on to talk about he refs during the intermission where they talked about the refs and their other gigs.

Turns out that Matt Kirk is a Law Student, studying at UVIC on Vancouver Island, so he has to travel from the island to the mainland to do any of the games, as an example.

When you take into account that these guys have to have other jobs to support themselves, I can see why we dont see certain refs etc as much, based purely on travel alone.


I remember a couple years ago there was one that was a teacher. So these guys aren't all bad! And yes they do have "real jobs" and families. For what they are paid they put up with alot of abuse some nights!

[Redwic]

Thanks! :groovy:

[Tipped Off]

Hey Kristi, hope you don't mind. I took your info one step further out of sheer boredom...lol

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b47/npthree/Tips%20Stuff/refs.jpg

[Tipped Off]

...The Tips are 8-8 in games in which they have committed more penalties that the opponent and 8-1 in game sin which the PIM's were tied.

[SectionNDeserter]

I am not a big Savage fan, but at least he tends to be consistent.Yep, he flips a coin before every game, and victimizes that one team, consistantly...

[Tipped Off]

Look at Pat Smith's PIM's in our games. Is that the typical "even it up" ref or what?

[ihlemic10]

Yep, he flips a coin before every game, and victimizes that one team, consistantly...

You can always tell when Savage is in Everett, the T-Birds or Portland doesn't get booed more. If you see the double 7's, you know its gonna be a long game...

['Canes11]

For some of the ref's you see less often you should be thank full... take McIssac for example... I live in Lethbridge and we see him alot and he is by no means a so called "fair" or observant ref... granted when a ref is calling agaist your team you do become slightly biased

[grainbear]

If you get a chance talk to some of the scouts, they are all of the opinion that our junior leaques need to follow the NHL and have two officials and two linsemen. They state without fail that primarily due to the lack of a second official we are allowing too much behind the play infractions and an way too much obstruction. It will indeed be hard to break these habits for any junior player good enough to make the NHL.