ON THE LINE WITH LUKE GALVIN 

Being an official in any league for any sport is a tough job. Nobody will ever write in their columns or comment on the air that the officiating for a particular game was well done but make a mistake on a key call, be out of position or unsure of the instantaneous decision that you need to make and you will hear the wrath of those playing, coaching etc., not to mention a verbal tongue lashing from those sitting and watching either in the arena or on television.

Chelsea, MA born AHL Linesman Luke Galvin knows all about it. Galvin was one of eight children and took to the ice at an exceptionally young age as his family him on skate when he was, “just shy of a year old on the rink my dad made in our back yard.” Since then it’s been all about the ice.

Galvin, as many kids did and do, played youth hockey in Natick, MA. He learned all about the blue lines that he would later monitor when he played defense. Galvin is a smart man and recognized early on that he didn’t have what it took to make it to the Big Show at an early age. However, because his passion for the game was growing far more than it was for any other sport, he decided he wanted to stay in the game in some capacity but just didn’t have a plan on how he was going to accomplish that. But then fate stepped in.

“My older brother Tim had been an official for some time.” Galvin says. “(When we played), ours was a difficult team to officiate for because we played a very physical game. My brother and a guy named, Jim Yancy, would be there to call the games for our team most of the time. Anyway, one weekend when I was 13 years old, we had a big rivalry game when our Bantam A team challenged Rhode Island’s Bantam A team and no officials showed up. I jumped up and volunteered to help and was on the ice with my brother to referee the game. Back then, you refereed for very nearly nothing, zip, free, no money. You just did it because you liked doing it. Anyhow, as we went out for that first game, I recall my brother Tim looking at me and telling me, ‘I will call all the penalties – don’t you call anything except offside and icing.’ I said. “Ok,’ and then proceeded to call the first penalty of the game! I knew right then that I liked being a referee and it was what I wanted for my career.”

Becoming an on-ice official isn’t as hard as you might think. According to Galvin, it was easy. “You just had to put the shirt on and show some interest. I did that first time and after that it was in me. After that first game I did as many as I could. It took a balancing act though to get it in with my playing and then my ability to get to the games. I signed up for the AHA (American Hockey Association) as it was named back then. Massachusetts was run by a man named John Prendeville and then later by Milt Kaufman. Milt had a great influence on me when he was the Director of the Massachusetts AHA. So, I worked hundreds of youth games and that’s no exaggeration either. In one season from November to April I worked 535 games. When I turned 16, after all that time on the ice and the passion growing more each day, I made a decision in association with a close friend of mine that I wanted to make it to the NHL as a referee.”

So how does a kid with a fire in his belly for officiating go about getting hired by the NHL, “timing.” Galvin said. “My best friend in life, John Brown and I attended the Western New England School of Officiating (WNESO) and Bruce Hood’s School of Officiating for two consecutive summers. We worked a lot of games and told everyone we could that we were planning to make it to the NHL. When I was 18 and in my second summer camp at WNESO which, at the time, was run by Kevin Collins, the NHL sent, as they always did, a supervisor to watch the talent on the ice. This time it was Bryan Lewis, the new Supervisor in Charge of Development. I remember coming back from eating with the guys and heading to my room at like 2 AM and ran into Bryan Lewis. I remember it so clearly. He was standing on the stairs, about 3 or 4 up from the ground, so he was towering over me at that moment. He just started verbally killing me with as much as he could give. I was not known to be one to hold my tongue, especially when I was 18, but for some reason on this day I did. When he was finished, he looked at me and said, ‘do you understand?’ I responded, “Yes.” He left me there and I went to sleep thinking I was probably done. A week later Bryan watched me work a game in the Chowder Cup in Quincy Arena. I was working the lines when he got there. I was not aware he was coming to watch. The referee got hurt and I had to go off the ice to change my jersey so I would referee. It was then that I noticed that Bryan was there and was really on the jazz! I knew I had an opportunity and I only remember that skating was like on air – like rockets on my heels. I never had the same feeling skating ever again. One week later Bryan mailed me an invitation to NHL training camp as a trainee.”

Just as every player who makes it to the big show, even if it’s just once, never forgets their experience, neither does an official who’s dream came true on January 27, 1990 when Galvin got his one and only NHL opportunity in a game between Chicago and the Whalers in Hartford. “Mike Keenan was Chicago’s Head Coach back then. His goalies that night were Ed Belfour, Alain Chevrier and Darren Pang and it felt like Keenan was changing them up like every 7 minutes. I remember that Jeremy Roenick was a very young player in that game and had a couple of teeth knocked out. Gerry Cheevers, who was my personal favorite Boston Bruin, did color for the game on TV and ripped me pretty good for messing up a faceoff. On the ice, I worked the game with Kerry Fraser and Kevin Collins. It was a great moment. They treated me like an NHL regular even though I still had to wear an AHL crest on my chest.”

Opportunities come in the most bizarre ways. This one was no different. When you think about how a person could get this kind of a chance you would think it would be a reward for the outstanding work he was doing and it was earned, not quite. “Pierre Champoux was injured,” Galvin said. “At the time I thought it was going to be the start of something big, but It turns out I was just the closest person available.”

If you talk to any young player after they’ve made their debut in an NHL game they will to a man tell you that they were surprised by the speed of the game. Officials are no different. Galvin explains, “The main differences (between the NHL and AHL) I think are the speed and quickness. The AHL is a full notch below that of the NHL maybe more which is really evident when you look at all the really talented players that do not make it!! Officiating wise – the penalties happen more quickly but are easier to see because the game is played with great discipline versus the less disciplined sometimes chaotic pace you can see at each of the minor league levels. The higher up you go the more crisp the action.”

With experience comes some thicker skin and perspectives change; especially when it comes to dealing with the fans. “When I was young I enjoyed it (the razzing from fans) and would listen for some of the unusually interesting things that might be heard. Now, what fans? I can’t really hear them because it is simply not part of my focus during the games.”

Over the years, Galvin has seen and worked with a lot of officials and has a favorite. “Without any hesitation, the best referee I have seen during my career, including all levels from age 13 – to present is Terry Koharski. He brings a sense; a real feel and presence in addition to a tremendous ability to communicate with people on the ice and off. It’s made him the one official I admire most. It’s funny, but I tend to be very passionate still even after all these years about officiating and really watch and study. I think Terry is the best around and have yet to figure out why he was not hired by the NHL.”

Galvin also follows the career of many of the premier NHL ref’s as well. “At the NHL level Dan O’Halleran brings a natural calm demeanor and is also a great communicator. I have always been a big fan of Bill McCreary, Kerry Fraser, Paul Devorski and Mick McGeough. They all incorporate a great feel of the game with a mastery of the rules and refined people skills.”

Much like fans of the game who are excited to see the development of their favorite players, Galvin is excited about some of the young referee’s cutting their teeth in the AHL. “This year I am excited for some of the new young guys coming up. In particular I worked with Tudor Floru and Mark Lemelin. They both bring an un-teachable presence and control to their work with a visible passion for the game and officiating. They possess that calm demeanor which gains them respect of players and coaches the more they are tested.”

In any job there are highs and lows. There are always funny stories. Galvin has his share as well. The Linesman recounts how a hockey card once pulled the thorn from an angry tiger’s paw. “Probably my favorite story was back when I worked games in the IHL when it was still in business. The most intense rivalry in that league was between the Salt Lake Golden Eagles and the Phoenix Roadrunners. As I recall it was back in 1992 and Salt Lake was coached by Bob Francis. I was in town the day before my scheduled assignment so I watched Rob Martell work the game. Ralph was tough on most guys and that night was no different. Well the next day Don Moffat who was one of the local linesmen picked me up and we went to a card show. I collected the hockey cards of coaches working in the league. For me it was like doing personal research. Well that day I found a Ralph Backstrom card from his time with the LA Kings. I never knew he was a player much less a Rookie-Of-The-Year with the Canadiens. I never knew that he was such an accomplished player or for so long, so I bought the card. That night I took it with me to the game and took it with me on the ice. After the National Anthem I went over to the Phoenix bench, Ralph standing their getting all hyped and all the players sitting in front of him. Well, I pulled out the card and said to Ralph, ‘Hey Coach, I had no idea you were such an accomplished player – Rookie-Of-The-Year, a scoring demon, I mean incredible!’ The players were all starting to laugh and I extended the card to Coach Backstrom and said, ‘Hey Ralph – Can I have your autograph?’ Unbelievably – he signed it. Then while turning a shade of red, handed it back to me – and he never yelled at me again for the rest of the season. Problem solved!!”

Galvin has just finished his 20^th season as a linesman. “On a professional level, I was able to work the AHL All-Star game two years ago and was chosen for the AHL’s Mike Condon Award. It was a special honor that meant a lot to me. I hope to continue working the AHL for another 10 years and hope to have the opportunity to work a Calder Cup Final. Outside of professional hockey, I still want to work a Beanpot. Outside of the professional, I really like coaching aspect of things. The opportunity to coach and supervise the young guys that are coming is something I’m looking at doing more of.”

In Galvin’s opinion officiating on the whole is pretty solid overall. He sees the AHL as a development league not only for the youngsters looking for a shot at playing on the ice but as a training ground for young people, who like himself just love to officiate at games. But there’s room for improvement. “I think the one missing ingredient is consistent and experienced coaching of the officials at the AHL level.” Gavin said. “Regular feedback of performance is very important. Guys now get a video after every game which is a tremendous plus now we did not have years ago. I would like to see an even more diligent effort to find the “best” and make sure that the best are moved along to the highest level they belong regardless of age.”

Throughout the playoffs this season the notion that some players get preferential treatment and that the officiating changes from how things were called in the regular season versus how they are called in the playoffs is always a point of contention for fans. Galvin disputes that claim. “This is really only a media and fan created perception. One thing about officials,” Gavin says, “at least the ones I know and have worked with maintain the highest levels of integrity when it comes to the job they do and the importance of its impact on the game of hockey. The level of playoff hockey intensity is so great that it is hard to describe. However, in the playoffs and regular season, it is part of the feel and judgment that goes into being a high performer. And it’s no different for one player over the other. The stakes are raised in the playoffs and players expect and demand the highest and best preparation and effort. Officials really do not change what they have done all season long in terms of how they officiate and what they look for during a game. Consider how difficult that would be to do and still be successful. That would be like asking a lefty to shoot righty. The intensity of the actions of the players demands a heightened awareness and judgment by the official in order to deliver the same consistent quality performance that got them to the playoffs in the first place. Remember at the NHL level, only the top performers from the staff get into the playoffs and from there the group is winnowed down based on performance. This is the seam at the AHL level as well.”

An AHL linesman salary isn’t enough to support a family man. It’s hardly enough to support a high school student on.

When he is not working as an official, Galvin works in the mortgage and insurance business helping people get financing for real estate and also insurance be it business, home or auto. “I have worked in this area for 10 years. This is what passes the time between seasons. There is simply no denying, I am a hockey junkie! Additionally, I have immersed myself in coaching over the years and have had great success coaching most recently at the junior level. I expect to continue coaching and taking all I have learned at the pro and international levels to young players who are striving for great dreams in the game.

Good call Luke…