We hereby conduct this week's Scouting the Refs Podcast... The playoff officials working the next fortnight's games are out! Referee Mike Sullivan is... ready for it as he makes his NHL debut; Kevin Shattenkirk is guilty as sin for stickwork from the bench; refs would've, should've, could've called a penalty for Habs' Slafkovsky's stick flip, Flyers fans need to calm down when referee Kelly Sutherland thought 'don't blame me' after he waved off a goal when he lost sight of the puck, the Islanders' Kyle Palmieri is like 'look what you made me do' after a Rangers player pushes him offside ..read more

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby calls out a linesman, referee Steve Kozari is injured in a collision with Tampa Bay Lightning’s Haydn Fleury, two new NHL referees make their league debuts as Graedy Hamilton and Stephen Hiff take the ice, with two more waiting for their starts.  We’ve got a goal line stand at Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes, where a shot from the Canes’ Martin Necas just baaaaaarely crossed the goal line… or did it? And why can’t we be sure?! The rulebook fails the refs as they review a high stick on Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, Philadelphia Flyers defensema ..read more

Detroit Red Wings broadcaster Ken Daniels joins Todd and Josh to discuss a revolutionary change to the offside rule that would increase scoring, reduce Coach's Challenges, and expand the size of the offensive zone. The NHL's Department of Player Safety issues a six-game suspension to Washington Capitals' Tom Wilson for an egregious high stick - which he reportedly won't appeal - and a $5000 fine to Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram for some egregious interference on Ottawa Senators winger (and 17th-century pirate) Angus Crookshank. We've got captain-on-captain violence as New York Islander ..read more

Move, ref! Get out the way! Get out the way! Unintentional zebra hunting this week, as linesmen Tommy Hughes, Steve Barton, and Dan Kelly all find themselves on the receiving end of some unintentional contact; referee Chris Schlenker gets a primary assist; Mark Shewchyk steps up as the EBUL (Emergency Backup Linesman); and an unfortunate collision may be career-ending for referee Kevin Pollock. The NHL's Department of Player Safety hand out a two-game suspension to Florida Panthers' Dmitry Kulikov, and calls for an in-person hearing with Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson, who's made it thr ..read more

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella gets ejected by referee Wes McCauley, then refuses to leave, resulting in a two-game suspension along with a $50,000 fine. New York Rangers' Matt Rempe gets a major, a game, and a four-game suspension for elbowing New Jersey Devils' Jonas Siegenthaler, while Ottawa Senators' Parker Kelly sits for two. Referee Gord Dwyer derails a potential goalie fight between the the Anaheim Ducks' John Gibson and Petr Mrazek of the Chicago Blackhawks. Player Safety issues fines to the Boston Bruins' Charlie Coyle and Toronto Maple Leafs' Jake McCabe for sep ..read more

On this week's Scouting the Refs Podcast: Longtime NHL referee Tom Kowal heads to the BC Hockey Hall of Fame, the NHL's Department of Player Safety issues fines to Minnesota Wild's Mats Zuccarello and Nashville Predators' Michael McCarron, and a suspension to Calgary Flames defenseman Martin Pospisil. No call, no fine after Colorado Avalanche's Josh Manson slashes Chicago Blackhawks' Connor Bedard -- or to New York Rangers' Matt Rempe for charging Toronto Maple Leafs' Ilya Lyubushkin. Plus, the New Jersey Devils get a penalty shot after Anaheim Ducks' Frank Vatrano intentionally dislodges the ..read more

We’ve got coach conflicts as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Sheldon Keefe gets kicked out and Buffalo Sabres bench boss Don Granato puts his team down two men. A power outage at Lightning/Flyers, Hill keeps one skate blade in the crease, review rules a legal check for Trocheck, the PWHL brings back the ref cam – and hands out a major penalty and ejection. Plus, we’ve got a hot @#$%ing mic in Philly! Visit scoutingtherefs.com and follow @scoutingtherefs and @toddlewissports on Twitter/X, Instagram, and Threads. Email us your questions - heyref@scoutingtherefs.com #RefsPodcast Questions? Comment ..read more

New York Rangers' Matt Rempe gets ejected for an illegal check to the head of New Jersey Devils' Nathan Bastian, but don't expect a suspension. From the same game, defenseman Jacob Trouba delivers a legal hit, and Bastian gets away with instigating a fight in return. Islanders head coach Patrick Roy fails in his first Coach's Challenge in New York on a possible missed hand pass, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson hits Zach Benson of the Buffalo Sabres, and - whoops - a shorthanded icing at Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens. Todd and Josh check out the ruling after New York's ..read more

So, Ridly Grieg did a thing. Then Morgan Rielly did a thing. And then Player Safety did a thing. Now Rielly has appealed that thing. DOPS hands out $10k in fines to the Boston Bruins, with Matt Grzelcyk getting a major penalty and a fine for spearing the Caps' Max Pacioretty and goaltender Linus Ullmark picking up a fine for high-sticking Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mikey Eyssimont. Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov gets a two-game suspension for a hit to the head of Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond that Zadorov admitted was "a bad hit." We'll also dive into Rielly vs. Grieg ..read more

Breaking down the three-game suspension to Winnipeg Jets defenseman Brendan Dillon for his it on Pittsburgh Penguins' Noel Acciari. Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment picks up a fine for an unpenalized hit on the Toronto Maple Leafs' Jake McCabe, while Calgary Flames defenseman Martin Pospisil gets ejected for a crosscheck to the face of Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand that drew no further supplemental discipline. Should the NHL's Department of Player Safety build in some 'automatic' or mandatory minimum suspensions? Plus, Todd and Josh run through an NHL All-Star video review that wiped ..read more