ECAC Referees to Stay Put

Although the National Hockey League is looking for college referees to replace its striking refs, Harvard hockey fans should not expect any drastic changes in the ECAC officiating ranks.

ECAC Supervisor of Hockey Officials Robert M. Quinn said he did not think that the NHL would pull any ECAC referees away from their duties.

"There were a number of ECAC officials approached by the NHL," Quinn said. "I told them to go with their own conscience but not to turn back any of my assignments or else they would forfeit their contract with me."

Few Candidates

Quinn said that no more than three ECAC officials have been approached by the NHL. These referees, he added, assured him that they would still honor their ECAC duties even if they accepted an NHL position.

All 58 NHL referees formally went on strike Monday, forcing the league to hire 70 replacements. The new referees hail from all parts of the hockey world, including college, the minors and various international leagues.

"I think that officiating at the collegiate level is a part-time job and that there's enough officiating talent to see that the collegiate leagues go on as usual," an NHL spokesperson said.