Release from 11.10.2021

Pierre Racicot on working with the league referees

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Pierre Racicot, who worked over 2,100 games as a linesman in the NHL, has been supporting the referees of the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League since the beginning of September. At the end of his active career, the 54-year-old Canadian is still on the ice himself, and he also works with his colleagues off-ice.

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Last Friday and Saturday, Pierre Racicot was on duty in Bolzano and Innsbruck. It was already the fourth weekend that the experienced linesman was on the ice himself and shared his experience with his colleagues from the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League. "The advantage of being on the ice is that I can provide instant feedback to the referees. Before the game we try to figure out the teams, we discuss coaches and players. During the game we discuss certain plays that happened and after the game it’s important to go through the entire game," Racicot describes his work.

Racicot ends active career in the ICE
The 54-year-old Canadian began his refereeing career at the age of 14, making his NHL debut as a linesman in 1993. He ranks 14th in the history books with 1,880 regular-season games, and "Racer" also officiated in 254 playoff games (seventh among NHL officials). On 8 May 2021, he was on the ice for the last time in the world's best league when the Florida Panthers faced the Tampa Bay Lightning. "I had in the back of my mind that I want to finish my on ice career here. I really enjoy the bet-at-home ICE Hockey League and the way its run. I enjoy working with those officials that I have known now for several years," said Racicot, whose experience includes ten Stanley Cup games, two World Championships and the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin.


Pierre Racicot gives his colleagues tips directly on the ice (Photo: HCB/Vanna Antonello)

The top linesman from the NHL has already been helping the league referees with video analyses in recent years. Now, his stay of several weeks until the end of November represents another central building block in the continuous development of refereeing. Racicot will also act as a referee observer and will be available to his colleagues for an exchange of views away from the matches. "Experience is important. The more games you work, the slower the game will get and that enables you to make the best decisions. Hockey will always be a game of mistakes. I try to explain the referees that we will make mistakes and that they communicate with players and coaches with humility. That helps building trust."

The complete video interview with Pierre Racicot

 

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Images (3)

Pierre Racicot with Simon Riecken
2 437 x 1 367 © HCB/Vanna Antonello
Simon Riecken, Boštjan Groznik, Ladislav Smetana and Pierre Racicot
6 453 x 3 621 © HCB/Vanna Antonello
Pierre Racicot
2 270 x 3 405 © HCB/Vanna Antonello