How a little known NHL rule could lead to players serving as officials for games

In the NHL, a lesser-known rule could potentially result in players stepping in as officials if they are unable to make it to games due to factors like weather disruptions or personal mishaps. This rule, known as Rule 31.11, mandates that teams choose one player each to serve as referees or linesmen when necessary. The rule has been implemented once before, during a 1983 game between the Hartford Whalers and New Jersey Devils, when a snowstorm caused officials to be late.

Whalers defenseman Mickey Volcan, who was nursing a hand injury, and Devils forward Garry Howatt were selected to fulfill the roles until the officials arrived in the second period. In that instance, the Whalers won 2-1. While NHL Executive Vice President of Officiating Stephen Walkom expressed doubt about the likelihood of such a scenario occurring in modern times, he acknowledged that the league's contingency plan exists to ensure games can proceed without issue.