Questions Raised About NHL's Choices for Officials in Certain Games

It's not the first time these kinds of questions have been raised, but this one is straight to the point. A website providing analysis, as well as news and stats, on referees and linesmen in several hockey leagues, has pointed out an interesting tidbit about tonight's game between the Arizona Coyotes and New York Rangers.

According to ScoutingTheRefs.com, one of the linesmen working the Rangers game, which is taking place in New York, is Tommy Hughes. Before becoming an official, Hughes had a pro hockey career spanning seven seasons, including four with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the Rangers. It goes further, as Hughes was one of the linesmen in the last Rangers game, in which two goals were overturned on coach's challenges.


Did Hughes have anything to do with those goals being overturned? Probably not. However, it's still a terrible look, especially with the league leaning hard on gambling for revenue. These aren't difficult things to fix.