Wes McCauley

Last updated

Wes McCauley
FIghting for Puck, Pittsburgh Penguins Bench, Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan (21080874624).jpg
McCauley during a 2015 preseason game
Born (1972-01-11) January 11, 1972 (age 52)
Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater Michigan State University
Occupation Ice hockey referee
Years active2003–present
Employer National Hockey League
Father John McCauley
Ice hockey career
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Las Vegas Thunder
Knoxville Cherokees
Muskegon Fury
Fort Wayne Komets
NHL draft 150th overall, 1990
Detroit Red Wings
Playing career 1993–1997

Wesley McCauley (born January 11, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current National Hockey League (NHL) referee. He is the son of Irene and John McCauley, who was also an NHL referee.

Contents

A defenceman during his playing career, McCauley became a referee after injury forced his retirement from playing in 1997. He refereed his first NHL regular season game in 2003 and became a full-time NHL referee in 2005. As of the start of the 2024–25 season , he has officiated 1,369 regular season games and 206 playoff games including nine Stanley Cup Finals appearances. He wears uniform number four. [1] [a]

Early life and amateur career

McCauley was born on January 11, 1972, in Georgetown, Ontario. [2] His father was John McCauley, a former NHL referee and the NHL's Director of Officiating at the time of his death in June 1989. [3] [4]

McCauley entered Michigan State University and played as a defenseman for the university's team, the Spartans. He spent four years playing alongside his best friend Bryan Smolinski and together they co-captained the team in their final year. [5] McCauley won the inaugural Terry Flanagan Memorial Award at the end of his final season in 1993. [6]

Professional playing career

After his first year at Michigan State, McCauley was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 8th round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. [5] After graduating from university, he played minor league hockey with the Las Vegas Thunder and Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League, the Knoxville Cherokees of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), the Muskegon Fury of the Colonial Hockey League and Milan in the Italian Serie A league. [7] He ended his playing career in 1997 due to injuries. [5]

Officiating career

After retiring from playing, McCauley followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a referee. He started off refereeing minor league matches in Ontario, before progressing to the ECHL. [5] In 2001, he was hired by the NHL to officiate in the second-tier American Hockey League (AHL). [8] While with the AHL, McCauley refereed his first NHL game on January 20, 2003, a 5–1 win to the Columbus Blue Jackets against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks. [5] [9] [1] After being selected to officiate the AHL's Calder Cup Finals in 2004 and 2005, he was promoted to a full-time NHL referee for the 2005–2006 season. [8]

McCauley caught between Columbus Blue Jackets players during a March 2014 game against the New York Islanders New York Islanders vs. Columbus Blue Jackets - March 23, 2014 (13370363535).jpg
McCauley caught between Columbus Blue Jackets players during a March 2014 game against the New York Islanders

After two seasons as a full-time NHL referee, McCauley refereed his first playoff match in the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, in the first match of the conference quarterfinal series between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders on April 12, 2007. [10] [11] In June 2013, he was selected as part of the officiating team for the NHL's 2013 Stanley Cup Finals between the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. [3] McCauley has subsequently officiated the Stanley Cup Finals in 2014, [12] 2015, [13] 2016, [14] 2017, [15] 2018, [16] 2020, [17] 2022 [18] and 2023. [1] He left game six of the 2019 Western Conference finals due to an injury, and was ineligible for the 2021 finals due to a positive COVID-19 test during the conference finals. [19] [20] McCauley officiated his 1,000th NHL game on December 23, 2018. [21] When coming to center ice after penalties or video reviews, he is known for his suspenseful announcements of important results. [22] [23] [24]

Personal life

McCauley is married with four children and lives in South Portland, Maine, where his wife Bethany grew up. His younger brother Blaine McCauley also played professional hockey. Wes was one of the referees in Blaine's professional debut in 2000. [5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1988–89 St. Michael’s Buzzers MetJBHL 389293881—————
1989–90 Michigan State University CCHA 4227915—————
1990–91 Michigan State UniversityCCHA281239—————
1991–92 Michigan State UniversityCCHA422101242—————
1992–93 Michigan State UniversityCCHA3336934—————
1993–94 Knoxville Cherokees ECHL 562283013430330
1993–94 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 20004—————
1994–95 Muskegon Fury CoHL 6393140701377144
1995–96 Muskegon FuryCoHL41172138465311140
1995–96 Fort Wayne Komets IHL810116—————
1996–97 HC Milano 24 Italy 1024626600012
1996–97 HC Milano 24 Alpenliga 1816730—————
IHL totals1010120—————
CoHL totals104265278116181018284

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The NHLOA lists ten SCF assignments, but he did not appear in the 2019 finals due to an injury sustained late in the previous round.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Official (ice hockey)</span> Ice hockey official

In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility for enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. There are two categories of officials, on-ice officials, who are the referees and linesmen that enforce the rules during gameplay, and off-ice officials, who have an administrative role rather than an enforcement role.

Don Koharski is a retired professional ice hockey referee in the National Hockey League. He resides in Tampa, Florida, with his wife, with whom he has two sons. Starting with the 1994–95 NHL season, he wore uniform number 12, and, since the 1987–88 NHL season, he wore a helmet while refereeing NHL games.

Stephen Walkom currently serves as vice president and director of officiating for the National Hockey League (NHL). This is his second stint in that position, having previously served from 2005 to 2009. From 1990 to 2004, and from 2009 to 2013, he worked as an on-ice referee for the league.

John McCauley was a Canadian ice hockey official who worked as a National Hockey League (NHL) referee from 1966 to 1981.

Dan O'Rourke is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current National Hockey League referee. He made his debut during the 1999–2000 NHL season, and has officiated 1,329 regular season games as of the start of the 2024–25 season. O’Rourke has also appeared in 202 playoff games, including seven Stanley Cup Finals. He wears uniform number nine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Leggo</span> Ice hockey referee

Mike Leggo is a retired National Hockey League referee. His career started in the 1996–97 NHL season, and he wore the uniform number 3. He was selected to work games in the ice hockey men's tournament at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Furlatt</span> Canadian ice hockey referee

Eric Furlatt is a National Hockey League referee, wearing number 27. He made his debut during the 2001–02 NHL season. As of the start of the 2024–25 season, Furlatt has officiated 1,464 regular season games and 180 playoff games, including one Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Chris Rooney is a National Hockey League referee, who wears uniform number 5. His first NHL regular season game was Tampa Bay Lightning Vs Atlanta Thrashers on November 22, 2000. He also worked the 2010 NHL Winter Classic with Kerry Fraser at Fenway Park between Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers. He also officiated in the 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019 Stanley Cup Finals as well as 2022 Stanley Cup Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Gawryletz</span> Canadian ice hockey player and official (born 1985)

Travis Gawryletz is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current linesman for the National Hockey League. He made his officiating debut during the 2017–18 NHL season and as of the start of the 2024–25 season he has worked 432 regular season games and 8 Stanley Cup playoff games. He wears uniform number 67.

Kelly Sutherland is a Canadian National Hockey League referee who wears uniform number 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonny Murray</span> Canadian ice hockey official

Jonny Murray is a Canadian National Hockey League linesman, who wears uniform number 95. He made his debut during the 2000–01 NHL season, and has officiated 1,506 regular season games and 192 playoff games, including seven Stanley Cup Finals appearances, as of the start of the 2024–25 season.

Jon McIsaac is a Canadian referee in the National Hockey League. He officiated his first game during the 2013–14 NHL season and wears uniform number 2. As of the start of the 2024–25 season, he has refereed 564 regular season games and 37 Stanley Cup playoff games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. J. Luxmore</span> Canadian ice hockey referee

Thomas John Luxmore is a Canadian ice hockey referee currently officiating in the National Hockey League. He made his debut during the 2013–14 NHL season, and wears uniform number 21. As of the start of the 2024–25 season, he has refereed 655 regular season games and 29 Stanley Cup playoff games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Charron</span> Canadian ice hockey referee

Francis Charron is a Canadian ice hockey referee currently officiating in the National Hockey League. He made his debut during the 2009–10 NHL season, and has worked 735 regular season games and 90 playoff games as of the start of the 2024–25 season. Charron has made two appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals and wears uniform number six. Prior to the start of his professional hockey career, he refereed three Memorial Cups and two World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

Steve Kozari is a Canadian National Hockey League referee, who wears uniform number 40. He made his debut during the 2005–06 NHL season, and has officiated 1,218 regular season games as of the start of the 2024–25 season. He has also worked 153 playoff games, including five Stanley Cup Finals appearances. Prior to starting his professional career, he refereed a Memorial Cup and was the recipient of the Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy as the Western Hockey League’s top on-ice official during the 2002–03 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">François St-Laurent</span> Canadian ice hockey referee (born 1977)

François St-Laurent is a Canadian ice hockey referee, currently working in the National Hockey League. In the summer of 1999, during a camp held by Ron Fournier, he told Réseau des Sports that his goal was to make it to the NHL. Said to have "an exceptional talent", he became a Level VI referee in the Hockey Canada Officiating Program during a seminar in November 2001, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick L'Ecuyer</span> Canadian ice hockey referee

Frederick L'Ecuyer is a Canadian ice hockey referee, employed by the National Hockey League. He has worn the number 17 since the start of the 2010–11 NHL season. As of the start of the 2024–25 season, he has officiated 1,033 regular season games and 44 Stanley Cup playoff games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Schlenker</span> Canadian ice hockey referee (born 1984)

Chris Schlenker is a Canadian ice hockey referee, currently working in the National Hockey League. He has worn sweater number three since being promoted to the NHL before the start of the 2018-19 season; prior to the promotion, he wore 48. As of the start of the 2024–25 season, he has officiated 425 regular season games.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Wes McCauley | NHL Referee | NHL Officials Association". NHLOA. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Wes McCauley". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Fraser, Kerry (June 12, 2013). "Ref McCauley Making His First Trip to Stanley Cup Final". TSN.ca . Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  4. ↑ Matsumoto, Rick (June 3, 1989). "NHL's John McCauley was 'a players' referee'". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lenzi, Rachel (June 8, 2010). "NHL ref at home in South Portland". Portland Press Herald. Archived from the original on November 15, 2016.
  6. ↑ "CCHA Tournament". collegehockeynews.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Wes McCauley". hockeydb.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  8. 1 2 "NHL promotes referees from AHL ranks". American Hockey League. August 23, 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Box score". Chicago Tribune. January 20, 2003. Archived from the original on April 15, 2003. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Wes McCauley". nhlofficials.com. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Game Summary". nhl.com. April 12, 2007. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  12. ↑ "NHL Referees & Linesmen for Stanley Cup Final". Scouting the Refs. June 2, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Referee Wes McCauley Mic'd Up for Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final". Scouting the Refs. June 4, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  14. ↑ Fraser, Kerry (May 30, 2016). "C'Mon, Ref: The Stanley Cup final's third team". TSN.ca . Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  15. ↑ "NHL Referees and Linesmen for 2017 Stanley Cup Final". May 27, 2017.
  16. ↑ "NHL Referees and Linesmen for 2018 Stanley Cup Final". scoutingtherefs.com. May 27, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  17. ↑ "NHL Names 2020 Stanley Cup Final Referees and Linesmen". September 18, 2020.
  18. ↑ "NHL Referees and Linesmen for 2022 Stanley Cup Finals". Scouting the Refs. June 13, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  19. ↑ "SERAVALLI: Ice Breakers … Latest on Tarasenko, DeAngelo and Ekman-Larsson". Daily Faceoff. June 29, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021. Recognized as perhaps the NHL's best on-ice official, McCauley is missing a ninth straight Final assignment after being sidelined during Round 3 with a positive Covid-19 test.
  20. ↑ "NHL playoffs 2019: Referee Wes McCauley leaves Game 6 with hamstring injury | Sporting News". www.sportingnews.com. May 22, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Kings defeat Golden Knights on Toffoli goal in OT". National Hockey League. December 23, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  22. ↑ Wyshynski, Greg (March 28, 2016). "NHL ref Wes McCauley with the most dramatic goal call ever (Video)". Yahoo! Sports . Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  23. ↑ Randall, Dakota (December 20, 2017). "NHL Ref Wes McCauley Back With Another Hilariously Dramatic Goal Call". New England Sports Network . Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  24. ↑ Schlager, Brandon (February 12, 2017). "Watch: NHL ref Wes McCauley gets extra pumped about fighting call". Sporting News . Retrieved February 4, 2018.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Award Created
 Terry Flanagan Memorial Award
1992–93 		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.