worst whl official

[westbeach55]

ok im not doing this to cause any trouble I mean i have alot of respect for the officials but then they are getting paid to do a job and need to be accountable.

ryan agar is my pick, I can't believe they let this guy out there and yes i understand with the new rules things will be called tight but he calls one minute then the next he won't. Last time i seen him was in the playoffs luke fritshaw from the raiders got tripped behind the net in view of agar no call was made the puck is picked up and I believe it was brandon potted the winning goal in ot. donn clark and anholt blocked him from going off the ice and went at him. I can't believe he was back in pa sunday not any better

[RDRebelsfan]

Chris Savage

[Swando]

Savage --HANDS DOWN the worst. No question. Small man syndrome.

[nivek_wahs]

Ummmm... Had to think about this one... for about 1 second... Pat Smith.

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

As of recently: Pat smith, Chris Savage, Rob Matuoka(is good, but seems to hate the pats), I COULD GO FURTHER ON....

EVER: Hasenfratz!!! :burningma :dead:

[Flathead]

Mercer, Wieler, Savage.
Worst ever, Agnew

[Wildeyes]

hazzy no way man he is in the show savage i thaught is good

You dont do the World JRs if u arnt a good ref or any world championship with out being a stellar ref

[nivek_wahs]

Worst ever: Could be a long list of guys... but I would have to go with Daren Loraas or Glenn Agnew or Kevin Meunch or Brad Davis.

[Bran]

Smith or Savage...If I had to pick one, probably Savage.

[Swando]

Savage did the world junior prelim game Canada vs Russia and was absolutely brutal... even though it favored Canada HE was awfullllll.

[nivek_wahs]

I may be in the minority but I think that Savage isn't that bad of an official (on most nights). He's far from the worst but also far from the best. :laugh:

[westbeach55]

I may be in the minority but I think that Savage isn't that bad of an official (on most nights). He's far from the worst but also far from the best. :laugh:


have to agree with you

[SectionNDeserter]

In the game last night between the Rebels and Hurricaines, we had the honour of having the worst WHL referee and the second worst referee in the WHL, Savage and Agar! I felt that Agar had the slight edge in the first period, calling bad penalty after bad penalty, including Jordan Henry's bone rattling hit on the Lethbridge player, who had just dumped the puck into the Rebel's zone (Was interference of course...even though he had just finished playing the puck). But Savage has the heart of a champion, and in the final 2 frames he showed why he has been the worst WHL official in the last few seasons. The Savage show dominated the rest of the game, overshadowing even the players, making phantom call after phantom call.

Another dissapointing thing for me at this game was the icing calls. In the home opener, they were employing the 'NHL style' policy on icing, where you really had to drill the puck down the ice to get an icing call. We were back to the WHL icing calls last night, where the puck could dribble through 2 or 3 players and just barely cross the line, with a few defenseman lazily skating back for it.

[Tidball]

Zalaski and Savage

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

hazzy no way man he is in the show savage i thaught is good

You dont do the World JRs if u arnt a good ref or any world championship with out being a stellar ref

You would have to be a pats fan to understand.

Sure, he knew his stuff, but from the way he officiating our games, I think its safe to say that he is pure evil.

[HAF]

I've seen them all have good games and bad. Without a doubt though the most consistantly bad ref has got to be Pat Smith. I've never seen him call a good game. I've watched games in a completely unbiased situation (Ams not playing) and he still sucked pretty bad. Honerable mention has to go to Nissen.

[dondo]

Rehman and Zalaski -- but Kirk is vying for some dubious attention --

[grainbear]

I recently had discussions with an offical in the WHL and when I found out how poorly they pay these officials ,is it any wonder why they all have second jobs . I was shocked to hear the game pay. I would certainly not work for that kind of wages and suffer the abuse from players, coachs and us arm chair experts. Yes some are better then others but if we want to improve the level make it worth their while . yes then hold them accountable in terms of bonus situations

[dondo]

grainbear think of them as journeymen/apprentices learning a trade to take them to the next level. They are getting game experience for little because they are ideally working towards the professional leagues. The players aren't really paid excpet billeting and stipends, so is it any wonder the refs are in a similar situation.

Something I do keep forgetting though is the fact that these guys are learning the game, so at the same time that we look at a young player making a rookie mistake, we need to look at a young ref doing the same thing and hoping they learn from it.

I would assume that they move up a level when the league (or higher level leagues) has deemed them worthy of the promotion.

[d-man]

You would have to be a pats fan to understand.

Sure, he knew his stuff, but from the way he officiating our games, I think its safe to say that he is pure evil.

No you don't have to be a Pats fan to understand. Come to Swift and watch Savage (a Med Hat resident) referee a Broncos/Tigers game - BRUTAL!!

[PGFlyfisher]

I have sometimes felt Herman had it out for PG. On the flip side I' ve always felt Matsuoka was a decent and fair ref.

[LifelongChiefsFan]

Worst ever: Could be a long list of guys... but I would have to go with Daren Loraas or Glenn Agnew or Kevin Meunch or Brad Davis.

Lol those are some pretty bad ones. But I have to agree with Some_Arrogent_Jerk. Hazenfratz was the worst ref that I have ever seen in the WHL. He screwed the Chiefs so many times...The worst being game 7 @ TC in 95. But anyway, that's old news.

As for today, I'd have to say Rehmen is the most brutal...but that's probably because the Chiefs get stuck with him for alot of games.

[Hatguy]

MacIsaac, Rehmen, Zalaski and I can't forget my main man Vetter. I agree that Savage isn't that bad.

[ihlemic10]

Lol those are some pretty bad ones. But I have to agree with Some_Arrogent_Jerk. Hazenfratz was the worst ref that I have ever seen in the WHL. He screwed the Chiefs so many times...The worst being game 7 @ TC in 95. But anyway, that's old news.

As for today, I'd have to say Rehmen is the most brutal...but that's probably because the Chiefs get stuck with him for alot of games.

AH the Rainman...don't like him. The combo of Nissen/Theissen in a game is getting brutal, the further of the two is making the penalty call while the close sees a clean play. Plus Theissen has enough rogue penalties on his own to make you go nuts...

[nivek_wahs]

After tonights game :burningma ... Mercer was a bad linesman and now a worse referee.

[Tidball]

I have sometimes felt Herman had it out for PG. On the flip side I' ve always felt Matsuoka was a decent and fair ref.

I agree with ya there.

[Bran]

After tonights game :burningma ... Mercer was a bad linesman and now a worse referee.
Wieler wasn't exactly a beauty out there either.

[Hockey101]

Just think of all the ref that are brutal that number is only going to get worse because they have so many new refs.

[Sput]

I think they all take turns wrecking games. One game its Agar (what can you expect for something that is used in a lab to grow baceria??), then its Rehman, next night its Smith. Pick a ref, any ref, on any given night. They are all inconsistant, and make it a habit of stinking the place out.

[dondo]

the main reason Rehman bugs me so much is that he is very inconsistent out there and the players have no clue what he's going to call next or not at all -- that's not a young ref that's simply a guy who doesn't know how to call a game - period.

I rather have a few bad calls that were consistent throughout the game than a journeyman ref who decides when he feels is a good time to put the whistle away regardless of what's happening on the ice. I know that's the way it probably works best (and has in the past for veteran refs who know how to create a flow to a particular game), but you have to have the trust of the players and an understanding of the flow of the game before you make those decisions ( you have to know the rules before you can break them and I find Rehman to be severely lacking in that department)

[MHTIGERS21]

No you don't have to be a Pats fan to understand. Come to Swift and watch Savage (a Med Hat resident) referee a Broncos/Tigers game - BRUTAL!!

He maybe from Medicine Hat, but he hates the Tigers and their fans. He was thinking about quitting this spring due to the hassle that he and his family take when they are not at the rink.

The Broncos need to take a huge number of penalties to slow the game and keep up. BRUTAL!!

[Blades 4 Life!]

I cant stand Vetter. I friggin hate him, He refed really bad last playoffs in Medicine Hat and even any Tigers fans could say that the refing was really bad but all refs all ahve something bad about them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dondo]

okay i change my vote -- its Savage hands down -- what travesty tonight -- what colour is the sky is his world??

[Swando]

I just started a new thread about Savage ..anyone wanting to contribute please do.

[GF71]

Without a doubt it has to be Savage. I thought Herman was bad but after tonight...wow. Savage is THE WORST.

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

Every night there is a new worst WHL official. By the way this is going, this will be the longest thread ever.

[Swando]

If we want to pick out the worst ref ( savage) sorry my opinion and I know there are Smithsionions, Rehmans Zalsiokites etc. I'm going to start a site for good refs in case they might be members and log on!! or if the WHL Heads look on as well. Please see my posting as Good WHL Refs! Thanks for contributing in advance.

[HockeyMetalhead]

OK, here is my top three "RANK" refs, Smith, Rehman, Kroft. Truly the worst of the worst

[Beaner]

Already a long thread on this over here.

http://www.whlfans.ca/showthread.php?p=58075#post58075

PS Welcome to the site.

[old_time_hockey]

My vote is Rehman. That guy is a tard. Calls every little hook. But spear Kraus right in front of him and no call. :spineyes:

Followed close behind by Savage (seems to be the popular pick)

[GBG BLEED BLUE]

I do not know what to say,but I will say this,as fans I am frustrated by the level of officaiting at Blades games,I do not know if it is the players that still do not know the ropes of the do's and dont's of what is allowed and what is not. I think they do know,but I have seen too many man advantages against the Blades,yes I know that sometimes players take a stupid penalty,maybe it is that way because the Blades are a younger team,and have to take a penalty to control an opponent. It may be just the Refs making bad calls?

[Zookeeper]

My vote is Savage by far, he is terrible.

[saskdevil]

Who could forget Al Smith ?? Hands down one of the worst. Got the job because his dad was one of the higher ups in the reffing association. One memorable moment was in Moose Jaw with the Pats in town. He lost control of the game and had to hide in the net beacause the fans were so PO'ed they were throwing stuff at him ! He had a police escort to his car and from what I heard also out of town !! Good? Nah don't think so !! :dead:

[d-man]

Worst ever one game performance by a ref goes to Thompson in 2004/05 in the Broncos/Ice game in Swift. Jeff Glass mugs David Murray at the side of the net, jumps on his back and beats him in the back of head with his blocker.

Not only is Glass allowed to remain in the game he doesn't even receive a minor penalty. The only thing Thompson did right in that game was duck in time to avoid taking a water bottle in the head from Chynoweth.

Only ever saw him put on the stripes one more time in swift, stunk out the rink that night too.

[RunTheGoalie]

Whenver I see Savage step out onto the ice, I tend to think it might just be wiser for me to go home and do something else, becuase when he is out there, he is the star.

The only thing that could possibly be worse is Savage and Herman working together on a game.

[apsco17]

Pat Smith!!!!!!

[ihlemic10]

I think Byblow just got moved to the top of this list...

[Flathead]

has anyone had Savage as a ref in awhile, or did he quit to become a firefighter?

[Big Ern]

Chris Savage is abseloutely the poorest excuse of a ref in Canadian Major Junior Hockey! Next to him is Ryan Thompson.
KEEP A VERY CLOSE WATCH IF YOU WANT THIS PROVED!!! I'll bet $2 Grand, every time Savage refs a game in Speedy Creek, the Broncos lose.
When his name gets announced, the fans all GROAN here!!

[RunTheGoalie]

has anyone had Savage as a ref in awhile, or did he quit to become a firefighter?

He's done about four games in Calgary this year. Typically important games against division rivals. Apparently the WHL has a sick sense of humour.

[Blades 4 Life!]

Savage just refed on saturday night in Saskatoon between The Blades and The Winterhawks. He called all of the really bad calls for the Blades and the ovbious Winterhawks penalties were not called, it wasent as bad as some stories i have heard of him but it was still bad. He called Ryan Funk for a Illegable player cause Funk dropped his stick and MacAngus gave Funk his stick and when the puck was cleared Funk picked up the stick that was on the ground, so for a couple seconds Funk had 2 sticks and then he gave the stick to MacAngus and then he got the penalty. Over all the years i have watched hockey i have never seen that called. But whatever the Blades still won!