TEMPE, Ariz. – Among the various stories that have unfolded this off-season, there is one departure that is not being widely reported in the Central Hockey League.
After seven seasons as the league’s Supervisor of Officials, Wayne Bonney has decided to step down. He is leaving behind a legacy of excellence and a corps of officials who profess a tremendous amount of respect for the man who led their brotherhood.
Bob Hoffman, the CHL’s Director of Operations, said that Bonney’s contributions to the league, as well as his efforts to advance the careers of countless individuals during his tenure, have been invaluable.
“We were truly honored to have Wayne as a part of the CHL staff for so many years,” Hoffman said. “I cannot express in words how instrumental he has been in developing some very talented young officials so they are more prepared for their quest for the American Hockey League and, in some cases, the National Hockey League.”
“ He has shown unequivocal passion and professionalism as he carried out his responsibilities,” CHL Director of Hockey Operations Jim Wiley said. “The attention to details and his work ethic towards the betterment of the individual officials and thus the Central Hockey League is unquestionable…finding a replacement for him will be a daunting task.”
Bonney, 58, had previously retired as a National Hockey League linesman in July of 2003 after 24 years of service. During his time in the NHL, he logged an impressive 1,638 regular season games, 228 playoff games, five Stanley Cup Final appearances, an NHL All-Star Game (1998) and participation in the 1996 World Cup.
One of the highlights of his NHL career occurred on Saturday, November 3rd, 1990, when Bonney officiated two games in the same day. His scheduled assignment was the Flyers/Blackhawks game at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, with a 1:00 pm start time. After the second period, he was informed that another linesman was ill and could not work the game he was assigned later that evening in Boston between the Bruins and the Buffalo Sabres. Bonney was advised that he would have to get to Boston after the Flyers game to substitute. Provided a police escort to the airport immediately after his first game, Bonney flew to Boston where he took a cab to the Boston Gardens, arriving 45 minutes before the 7:00 pm start time.
“I have never been that tired after a day of hockey in my life,” Bonney said. “I will always remember the thrill of that interesting day…and the three offside calls I missed in Boston.”
A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Bonney began his NHL career working a Toronto Maple Leafs game (September 22, 1979, against the Boston Bruins) and ended it the same way (March 10, 2003, at Edmonton).
Prior to the NHL, Bonney worked about 700 games in the World Hockey Association, beginning in 1972. When the two leagues merged in 1979, he was one of the officials hired.
Shortly following his retirement, Bonney joined the CHL, where he has been responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Central Hockey League officiating staff. For those who are unfamiliar, this includes the supervision of over 90 referees and linesmen, including full-timers and regionalized part-timers.
Assigning games, which included factoring in travel schedules and whether or not various officials were compatible with one another, was just one of the time-consuming tasks for which Bonney was responsible. Obviously, with so many officials, complaints from coaches and general managers – as many as three or four on an average evening of play – were directed to Bonney.
Perhaps the most difficult job requirement was assembling a top-notch officiating staff. To accomplish that, Bonney spent considerable time scouting prospects.
“It’s a big loss for the CHL,” Linesman Chris Petrin said. Petrin played for the University of Guelph for two seasons prior to beginning his career as a linesman.
“I actually had only one season of officiating experience prior to working for the CHL,” Petrin said. “My first year out of school, I worked local games – minor hockey, high school, etc. That summer I attended an officiating school in Guelph, Ontario where I’m from. Wayne Bonney was at the camp and offered me a job. I told him about my inexperience as an official and he just said, ‘Because of your playing career, you obviously know the game well and can skate. Those are things I can’t teach you. I can teach you everything else.’ ”
Petrin now has four seasons of experience as a CHL linesman behind him and says that having supervisors like Bonney and Ray Scapinello has been a real perk to working in the CHL.
“It has helped my career tremendously, learning from two of the best linesmen ever to officiate,” Petrin said.
“I was one of his first official hires and he went to bat for me from day one,” Referee Tudor Floru said. “He stands behind his guys and makes everyone feel like part of the family.”
Floru describes Bonney as a consummate professional who knows how to show loyalty and friendship to those under his tutelage.
“He’s had several of us for dinner at his house when he has no such obligation,” Floru added. “He does it because he enjoys being around the guys and we enjoy his mentoring just as much. He’s done it all as far as the officiating world is concerned and it’s great to have him there when you’re having a tough stretch or long road trip.”
Dan Dreger, who refereed his second straight Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals last month, shared this memory, which exemplifies Bonney’s dedication to his work:
“ Its 3:30 am…I’ve worked a game that night and I’m exhausted,” Dreger said. “I’m in the middle of God knows where, having just skated my umpteenth game that week and just before I slide into bed, my computer tells me that someone has just sent me an email; then another, and another and another. Who the heck is sending me an avalanche of emails? It’s Wayne Bonney, who at 58 years old, is still as dedicated to teaching the art of officiating as he was when he first took the position as the league’s Supervisor of Officials.”
Dreger went on to say that Bonney would always go above and beyond the expectations he had for someone in his position.
“Following every game he supervises, Wayne meticulously sifts through hours of game tape, clips it into brief segments, and delivers it to the officials with quotes like ‘keep your feet moving all the way to the goal line,’ and, ‘make sure you’re between these players to prevent altercations,’ ” Dreger added. “Wayne doesn’t need the salary or the recognition – just the satisfaction of teaching the next generation of officials – it’s what motivates him; what drives him. It’s what keeps him up at 3:30 in the morning.”
Zac Wiebe refereed in the CHL during the 2007-08 season and then split time between the CHL and the AHL the following year. He now referees in the AHL full-time. Wiebe says he was fortunate to work on Wayne Bonney’s staff.
“The NHL has a scouting staff for officials to identify and develop prospects to work in the AHL/NHL,” Weibe explained. “They scout heavily in the CHL because of the respect they have for Wayne and the CHL’s Officiating Program.”
In April, I had the opportunity to speak with Bonney about his time in the league and his relationship with the young men he has worked with during his tenure. He was obviously touched when I mentioned how common it was, during the course of my work, for officials to bring his name up and describe how much they appreciate all he does and has done for them, both personally and professionally.
“It’s great that I hear that and I love all the guys – I’ll back them to the hilt,” Bonney said. “They’re great guys; good young officials. A lot of them have goals…are they going to make it? We don’t know, but they’re doing their best.”
Bonney stated that looking back, he’s amazed at how rewarding his experience in the CHL has been.
“When I finished in the National Hockey League after 30 years and I came here, I said to myself, ‘I don’t know if I want to watch any more games – I don’t know if it’s going to be worthwhile’. Here it is, seven years later – I’ve enjoyed it a lot more than the National League. The National League is great, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve learned so much…management-wise, how to deal with people, just everything – it’s made me a better person.”
Although his work in the CHL is over, Bonney, who resides in Arizona with his wife Claudette, will continue to assist in the development of future on-ice officials. He is scheduled for the 2011 California Referee School Camp on August 5-7th at the Toyota Sport Center in El Segundo, California.
Contact the writer/photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com
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