Ref Cam
Fastened to the top of the referee’s helmet, this camera gives fans the sense of being on the ice in the thick of the action. The sound from this camera will pick up ambient noise from the rink, but the refs will not be mic’d up. Pelley says NHL officials are not opposed to doubling as cameramen, and that fans will actually be able to see when their view of a goal or an infraction is blocked.
“The one thing that stood out to me is the referee cam,” says Messier. “The game all looks so easy and clear from the typical angle—you can see the open man, see the open ice so clearly as a fan. But from a player’s perspective, you’re looking at 10 players on the ice with no room, all coming together. I think [the ref cam] will give people a better perspective of what the players actually see.”
It’ll give viewers an appreciation for magicians, Messier says, like former teammate Wayne Gretzky, who could find that open space.
“But it will also give fans a better perspective of what the referees do or don’t see because of the angles.”