The National Hockey League may be without their top referee for the rest of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Wes McCauley is currently at home and will not return to work in the third round, and amid an officiating crisis, he may not be able to return for the Stanley Cup Final. While addressing the issue on Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman did not say what was wrong with McCauley, but did say he was scheduled to work the semi-final and finals. There is some hope he may be able to return in the last round.
McCauley last worked as the standby referee for Game 1 of the New York Islanders-Tampa Bay Lightning series. Since then, he has not been on the ice. The veteran referee is a fan favourite and noted as being one of the best referees in the NHL. He has covered eight Stanley Cup Finals in the past. This comes at an awful time considering that NHL referees are being heavily scrutinized for their questionable calls and non-calls during the postseason. He is exactly what the NHL needs in a time like this, so players and fans can only hope he will be able to return for the final round.
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