![]() ![]() 2 goalie while top prospect Jesper Wallstedt gets more development in the AHL. Talbot was traded to Ottawa for Filip Gustavsson, who will be the No. Realizing Talbot’s frustration from the lack of postseason action, he didn’t want to risk any tension or discontent. Guerin changed his mind, though, after signing Fleury to a two-year, $7 million contract. ![]() The Wild lost in six games, after Talbot got the cold start in the elimination game and gave up four goals on 26 shots. Wild general manager Bill Guerin initially planned to bring back both Fleury and Cam Talbot, who made the All-Star team and went 13-0-3 in his last 16 regular season starts before being benched in favor of Fleury for the first-round playoff series against St. “They say, `You play,’ I play, unless maybe I’m hurt or something,” Fleury said. After arriving in a deadline-day trade in March and re-signing with the Wild in July, the guy everyone calls “Flower” is still fully abloom as he begins his 19th season in the NHL. The Minnesota Wild sure haven’t shied away from leaning hard on their new – and 37-year-old – goalie. With his ever-present smile, tireless approach and long list of accomplishments in the net, Marc-Andre Fleury has always embraced a heavy workload. If nothing else, at least appreciate what these guys are going through, and what goes in to an often-unappreciated job.ST. Next time you want to complain, give it a shot. Officiating isn’t easy, and they’re looking for officials at all levels. You don’t have to love them, but it’s important to remember that without officials, you don’t have a game. Officiating hockey is difficult: you get screamed at by coaches, players and fans, there are fights to break up, stray sticks and pucks flying around. ![]() Several young NHL officials are products of those combines.įinding hockey officials is exceptionally difficult, you’re looking for people with the same judgement and rules knowledge as those from other sports, but there’s a major complication: they also have to be elite skaters, which narrows the field considerably. The NHL has turned to officiating “combines” in Canada and the US, recruiting former junior, college and pro players to try out as officials, and it has produced results. Young people don’t want the hassle of being screamed at by adult coaches and fans, as a result many minor hockey games often have only one referee and one linesman. Hockey Canada and USA Hockey have both identified the attrition rate of young officials as an issue. Recruiting new ones has proven challenging. That, combined with the retirement of three senior officials at the end of this season-referees Dean Morton and Brad Meier, along with linesman Vaughan Rody-leaves the NHL short of veteran officials. Three NHL linesmen, Greg Devorski, Derek Amell, and Steve Miller, have suffered serious injuries that will likely end their careers prematurely, denying them a “retirement game” where they choose the date, location and fellow crew members. Officiating hockey is a very physical job, and it takes a toll. Referees Jean Hebert (shoulder) and Marc Joannette (broken leg) missed most of the first half of the season, and several linesmen have been out as well. In addition, there has been a rash of injuries. ![]() A large number of officials contracted Covid early in the season, forcing those remaining to work even heavier schedules NHL officials usually only get noticed when people are mad at them for making mistakes, but this has been an especially difficult year for them as a group. TSN’s Gord Miller recently took to Twitter to defend the officials and explain some of the challenges they’ve faced this season. As a result, there’s not always an explanation provided for some of what goes on in the world of stripes. NHL officials are rarely permitted to speak with the media, and the league often prefers not to discuss officiating. ![]()
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