With Rangers/Flyers set to get underway, the officiating will be highly scrutinized. Longtime official Bill McCreary will serve as the series supervisor, overseeing the referees and linesmen assigned to work the games.
Already this year, Flyers coach Craig Berube has spoken out about his dissatisfaction with NHL officiating.
Of course, we should point out that Berube also has a personal history with NHL officials. In piling up 3,149 penalty minutes, Berube certainly took part in his fair share of scraps over the years — many while suiting up for the Flyers against the archrival Rangers.
In one of them, he punched linesman Kevin Collins in the face:
That’s not going to earn you any brownie points with the officiating crew.
Before he headed off for his eight stitches, Collins took his blood-spattered face over to the Flyers bench. He told Flyers’ coach Paul Holmgren, “If that’s the best you’ve got, you guys are in trouble.” Holmgren almost had to call timeout to get his team to stop laughing.
Collins retired in 2005 after a 1,964 game, 28-year career – entirely without a helmet. He currently works for the NHL as an Officiating Manager.
Also of note in that video: No glass on the penalty boxes!
