The Hockey Hall of Fame is welcoming six new members into it’s prestigious halls on Friday, November 14th, 2014. Join us here at Last Word On Sports as we take an in depth look every day at the new inductees. Today we are looking at the legendary referee Bill McCreary.

2014 HHOF Induction Profile: Bill McCreary

There are not too many referees in the NHL that are immortalized by both the league and its fans simultaneously. Kerry Frasier and has fabulous hair come to mind initially, with his brutally honest officiating and his confidence as he glided up and down the ice.

Bill McCreary would be another one of those guys. Known for being consistent throughout his 27-year career with the league, his thick ‘stache and his trademark puck flip before every opening face-off, McCreary was announced as one of the six participants to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.

Junior Hockey Beginnings

Born in Guelph, Ontario on November 17th, 1955, McCreary was introduced to hockey at a young age and became hopeful to one day become a player in the National Hockey League, much like most young Canadian boys. From 1972-1975, McCreary played junior hockey with the St. Catharines Black Hawks, Buffalo Tondas and Windsor Spitfire but his stint didn’t go any further beyond that. The following year, McCreary joined the Ontario Hockey Association as a linesman at the age of 22, putting an end to his playing career and starting another as a professional official.

On the subject of his playing career, McCreary states: “I played junior hockey and I wasn’t a very good player. I certainly wasn’t even good enough to be drafted so that shows you the lack of talent I had as a player.”

The NHL Comes Calling

After three years in the OHA, the president of the NHL’s Supervisor of Officials John McCauley gave McCreary a call and an offer to try-out for the National Hockey League. In 1982, McCreary signed with the NHL. He officiated his first game in the league on November 3rd, 1984, a contest between the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils, a game held in the Capitals old arena back in Landover, Capital Center.

When remembering a referee for his body of work, usually it’s due to a major screw-up on the part of a referee. A missed call leading to the winning goal that wins a team the Stanley Cup would be a fine example. Another would be a referee having a vendetta with a certain player and striking even with him during a game (just ask Alex Burrows).

However, for McCreary, that couldn’t be any further from the case. With a career built on a reputation of respect, fairness and most importantly consistency, McCreary’s work has gone appreciated by the league, both players and coaches, during his tenure with the NHL.

As proof, his credentials as an official in hockey are endless:

– Between the years 1994-2007 as well as 2008, he officiated the Stanley Cup Finals.

– One All-Star game in 1994

– The final game at Maple Leafs Garden (February 13th, 1999)

– Wayne Gretzky’s last game (April 8th, 1999)

– A record-breaking 44th Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2010, previously held by Bill Chadwick.

– Martin Brodeur’s 104th career shutout, breaking Terry Sawchuk’s record (December 22nd, 2009)

Retiring initially at the end of the 2009-2010 season, McCreary returned for the 2010-11 season for one last year. On April 2nd, 2011, McCreary worked his final game where it had all started, in Washington when the Capitals hosted the Buffalo Sabres, a game that ended in a 5-4 victory for the home team.

International Impact

At an international level, “The Mustache” made his presence and his fairness felt in the 1991 Canada Cup, as well as the 1998, 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympic Games, also calling the Gold Medal games in all three years. Notable mention to his participation in the 2005 Spengler Cup. Being a Canadian referee calling a Gold Medal game between Canada and the United States, McCreary recalls a fabulous story after Canada’s victory; “…when 11 U.S. players came over and shook my hand, unsolicited, after the game, that was really rewarding to me.”

Legacy

As mentioned in this article already, one significant trait of McCreary’s was the puck flip before each opening face-off. What’s beautiful about the little gesture is the story that comes with it.

When Bill’s daughter was 5-years-old, she suffered a stroke, placing her into a hospital in Toronto for a lengthy duration. During this time, McCreary was on the road with the league and couldn’t pop into the hospital to check in on his daughter. Instead, McCreary used his puck-flip as a way of saying “hi” to his daughter, while she watched each game her dad was in from her hospital bed. McCreary continued this touching tradition until the day he retired, which by the that time his daughter was 21.

Career-wise, McCreary has reffed a total of 1,737 NHL games. On top of that, he holds the record for most playoff games officiated (297) and most Stanley Cup Finals (44). The foundation he built as a referee will forever go down in history as a lesson to all other referees, both currently working in the NHL and ones aspiring to do so in the future; “I’ve always used two words in my vocabulary when I’m officiating, and that is to keep that game fair and safe.”

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