The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Michael Russo was given access to the NHL’s Situation Room in Toronto, where he had a chance to observe the in-game reviews and talk with the team about their role. From the Star Tribune:
The NHL had 243 official reviews (meaning they have gotten referees on headsets) this season and have overturned approximately 20 percent, league officials said, noting they have taken a second or third look at roughly 600 goals to confirm they’re good.
In addition to goal reviews, the Situation Room also keeps tabs on other events in the game – including calls and non-calls by the officials:
The coordinator has a laptop where he catalogs everything from a game, not just the goals and penalties. If he feels a referee or linesman missed a call or made an incorrect call, he logs it. He logs injuries and embellishments and other in-game events.
After each game, a report is spit out with video clips. That document is sent to Campbell, Murphy, the rest of hockey operations and Director of Officiating Stephen Walkom within five minutes.
“Ninety-five percent of the video Walkom sends his officials, if not all, comes from the guys in here watching games and clipping plays,” Pasma said.
Senior Director of Hockey Operations Rod Pasma also weighed in on the scope of reviews:
“If you review [missed calls leading up to goals], do you review every single potential questionable play? Where does it end?” Pasma said. “I swipe your feet out and shoot it in? Common sense says it’s a penalty, but it wasn’t called. Offsides and there’s a goal, how far back do you review? Three seconds, five seconds, 30? There’s lot of residual stuff if you open this door.
“Now we’re officiating from the video room, and no one wants that.”
For the whole story – including breakdowns of specific plays and reviews – read more via Russo’s article at the Star Tribune.
