Before the Stanley Cup playoffs, a list of forty on-ice officials are named to work: Twenty referees and twenty linesmen. They are paired up in each round, traveling and working together between the series. Usually, they are never assigned to work two games between two teams they have already seen. This does not apply if a series reaches seven games, or at any point in time beginning in the third round. If a game seven is reached, those who have been assigned to work in the next round will call the series-deciding game. If at any time a referee or linesman is injured or unable to work, there is a standby official; he is there in the event that one of the officials cannot continue in the game.
Throughout the playoffs, the list of officials is minimized.
During the second round, twenty-four officials (twelve referees and twelve linesmen) work games.
During the third round, sixteen officials (eight referees and eight linesmen) work games.
In the final round of cuts, the list is reduced to ten officials: Five referees and five linesmen. They are named as Stanley Cup Finals officials. They are no longer in pairs; they will rotate so that all officials are involved in the series. If the Stanley Cup Finals reach a game seven, the top two referees and two linesmen will be assigned to officiate the game.
In 2021, the NHL broke teams up into new divisions: Three in the United States, and one in Canada. The referees and linesmen were semi-restricted from crossing the border throughout the regular season, only being allowed to move between the two countries either when they were re-assigned to work games, or when the semifinals began (and including the final).
In 2020, the playoffs looked a little different. Referees and linesmen were placed in two separate bubbles for the qualifier round and the first two rounds (Toronto for the Eastern Conference and Edmonton for the Western Conference). The sixteen remaining officials would come together in Edmonton when there were four teams remaining in the playoffs.
As part of the NHLOA's recent collective bargaining agreement, 2020 was the first year they would name five referees and five linesmen to the Cup Final. Next to each official is the bubble in which they started the playoffs in.
Before the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals, the NHL assigned five referees and four linesmen to the series:[1] Something they hadn't done since 2001. This was done, possibly because one of the referees (Wes McCauley) had sustained a leg injury during game six of the Western Conference Final and left the game. Even though he was named to work the Finals, he did not work in the seven-game series.
Beginning with the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals, the NHL assigned two referees and two linesmen for each game. A total of eight on-ice officials are named: Four referees and four linesmen.
Between the 1999 and 2001 playoff seasons, the National Hockey League implemented a two referee, two linesman system. Five referees and four linesmen were named to work in the finals.
The National Hockey League used a single referee for each playoff game, with a rotation of three referees for the series. The referee with the highest regular-season performance rating was assigned games one, four, and seven; the second-highest rated referee was assigned games two and five; and the third-highest rated referee was assigned games three and six.
